If the 2000s have taught us anything, it is that trends can make a huge impact on the marketing field and the greater scope of our society. Think of the eras of the VSCO girls with Hydroflasks, the revival of the Y2K style or the heightened presence of laptop stickers seen on college campuses and beyond.

Serving as a mode of self-expression, laptop stickers can be found in all colors, shapes, and sizes to represent a wide range of concepts.

According to an article by StudyBreaks, the six most common laptop sticker types are Greek Letters, Camp Themes, Netflix Shows, Texas Themes, Jeeps and Sports. These stickers target an audience of high school students, college students and those right out of college. Essentially, they are made for people in the age range of 16-30.

This got me thinking, where do students get the trendiest laptop stickers from? Why do students love these stickers so much? I reached out to University of Miami students to learn more.

Freshman Ryan Novak said, “I got most of mine from Redbubble and one from Zumiez. I have a lot of Spongebob, shoes because of my sneaker phase of reselling shoes, and a School of Communication sticker because they all mean something to me!”

For more context on Redbubble, created back in 2006 in Melbourne, Australia, this print-on-demand online site seems to have a large grasp on the global marketplace. From tapestries, to phone cases, to masks, this company can do it all, and can even custom make more options. Redbubble appears to be most famously known for its thousands of possibilities of laptop stickers, custom made.

Zumiez is a skateboard and sticker shop that follows suit, with an edgy but sweet vibe.

Senior Max Baldwin, owner of over two thousand stickers, said, “When I was younger, I emailed a ton of sticker companies, and they sent a lot of free stickers from places such as Amazon, Home Depot, Etsy and Monster. Many of the bulk packages that I bought came in packs of one hundred or more, and they would often go for [like] five dollars. The downside is that you never really know what you are getting because you get a random collection of stickers.”

Amazon, founded in 1994, often sells products from the above listed companies, as well as a wider variety of brands. Etsy, however, is a hub for creatives and buyers/sellers to give and receive products needed. Etsy not only sells stickers, but also furniture, clothing and more!

Sophomore Sophia Emanuel also said she loves Redbubble, for both tapestries and stickers. “Many of my stickers are quotes or reference parts of my life that I care about, such as my passion for architecture and love for music, as well as inspiration from funny shows or musicals such as Hamilton. My favorite collection I have would have to be the ‘Friends’ stickers I have, they’re colorful and really cute!”

Aside from stickers, consumers can also look into laptop/keyboard cases and covers. They make your laptop stand out even more and they prevent laptop stickers from permanently attaching to your computers!

Another method is to scrub vigorously with soap and water to take stickers off. Then they can be replaced with new stickers as you grow as an individual or when your interests, as well as organizations, change and grow! I have a feeling that if you stick to being yourself, you are going to want to stick with this trend.

words_jamie moses photo_reed pearson on unsplash