Stick it to 'em: stickers provide self-reflection
High Point University students' laptops display a sense of community
By Megan Hovey
Q News
So long, days of adorning your overly heavy backpack with pins and buttons.
Now, students utilize the very piece of technology that helps them advance their degrees to share their sense of self. Laptops have become the canvas in which students display who they are, what they believe in and what they enjoy through the use of stickers.
High Point University students are taking advantage of the medium. Out of 71 responses, 72% of HPU students said that they have stickers on their laptops.
Stickers allow students to tap into their creative side, each becoming a self-proclaimed Picasso while intricately placing the sticky paper onto the smooth aluminum, trying to make the arrangement perfect.
Wear your heart on your computer
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Some say that the eyes are the window to the soul. Kadin Greenwalt, a junior at HPU studying business administration, thinks that we can learn more about the people around us through their stickers.
“I think it says a lot about other people,” he said. “If I see their stickers, I’m more likely to strike up a conversation. Or even if they see mine, I would hope that they would say something about it, too.”
By utilizing Redbubble, an online marketplace for artists, Greenwalt had complete control over how he wanted his final creation to turn out.
“I arranged the color coding so that way it’s all black and white with little pops of color here and there,” he said. “That’s just my artsy, monochromatic style.”
Greenwalt takes pride in his curation, selecting stickers ranging from John Mulaney quotes (his favorite comedian) to John Bender from “The Breakfast Club”. A large, watercolor rendering of a ramen bowl symbolizes more than just a meal.
“Ramen is something my dad and I would always get and eat together,” he said. “I’ve grown to love actual ramen, not the instant Maruchan stuff.”
Kadin Greenwalt sits at his computer on High Point University's campus.
Greenwalt's laptop from above.
A watercolor bowl of ramen sits in the corner of Greenwalt's laptop.
Kadin Greenwalt sits at his computer on High Point University's campus.
Hannah Malugen works on her assignments in Cottrell Hall.
Malugen's laptop from above.
As a pop culture and media production major at High Point University, Malugen loves showing off this sticker to express her love for film.
Hannah Malugen works on her assignments in Cottrell Hall.
An eye for aesthetics
Before coming to college, Hannah Malugen was worried. Malugen, a sophomore studying pop culture and media production at HPU, wanted to showcase her personality to those she was about to meet.
“I went into college being like ‘Oh, if I have stickers that explain myself on my laptop, maybe that will help me make friends,’” she said.
It may have worked. While she sits and shares her stories, numerous people walk by and make sure to say hello to her.
Malugen beams as she gives a tour of her laptop, pointing out a Kacey Musgraves sticker (one of her favorite musicians), a Trixie Mattel sticker (Malugen loves “RuPaul’s Drag Race”) and one that reads “Support Your Local Filmmaker.”
“I got this because I am a filmmaker. The font is very 1970s, which is something I try to go for,” she said. “It has a good message, but also matches my aesthetic.”
Speaking of aesthetics, Malugen says that she’s worked hard to create one that she loves.
“I want a wide range of colors. I know a lot of people want a specific color scheme, but I want the most outrageous, crazy and eye-catching things,” she said. “I actually turned down some stickers that I wanted based on the fact that they weren’t colorful enough.”
From passion to profit
Elsa Dierkhising sits at her dorm room desk, turns on her light, sets up her camera and begins to relax. Her fingers and mind meld together as she utilizes her own thoughts and passions to create works of art.
Dierkhising, a sophomore at HPU studying graphic design, says that her passion for art grew during her gap year after high school.
“When I went on an art program to Italy and Greece, I did a lot of painting and studied art history,” she said. “All of that translated to me taking pictures of my work. I liked using different filters and playing with modeling works and putting them up on a wall.”
After creating an Instagram account to display her work, Dierkhising has been able to combine her love for art with the benefits of owning a business. By utilizing Redbubble, Dierkhising has been able to sell her creations to buyers all over the world.
“A person from Ireland bought stickers from my Redbubble site,” she said. “Some people who I've never met have bought things from me, which is really cool."
So, does Dierkhising consider her business a full-time job?
“This is very much a side job,” she said. “If I do make money, that’s great. If I don’t, I still like working on my art.”
Elsa Dierkhising shows off her stickers that she creates in her dorm room at High Point University.
Dierkhising's artwork from above.
Working in Caffey Hall, Dierkhising paints for her art class.
Elsa Dierkhising shows off her stickers that she creates in her dorm room at High Point University.
So, the next time you find yourself in a coffee shop, library or study room, take a look at the metallic canvases around you.
Notice the colors. Notice the patterns. Maybe there isn’t a pattern. Maybe there isn’t a color scheme. That’s what makes the pieces of sticky paper so unique. To some, a sticker could mean nothing. To others, that same sticker could signify something special.
“If you care enough about it to put it out into the world, especially on your computer, then it’s obviously something close to your heart,” Greenwalt said.
