Author: Rose Spahn

Audrey Hicks is a freshman at the University of Virginia majoring in political science.  She is originally from Fairfax, Virginia and is the oldest of four kids. In high school Audrey competed in both cross country and track and still continues running for leisure.  In her free time Audrey likes reading, hanging out with her friends and watching Netflix. She is a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority at UVA and is a member of the honors council.  In the future Audrey hopes to go to law school to become a public prosecutor. Occasionally she enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, skiing, kayaking and hanging out at the beach.  Exploring cities and traveling are also hobbies of Audrey, and she loves trying new foods and cool restaurants. Learn more about Audrey from checking out her awesome stickers.

Interview with Audrey Hicks:

Why do you choose to display stickers on your laptop?

I like having stickers on there that make my laptop feel more like my own and because I honestly have no other use for the sticker that I accumulate over time.

Which sticker is your favorite?

My favorite sticker is the Charlottesville one because it’s my newest sticker and I really like the colors and shape of the sticker.  I also love having anything UVA related on my laptop.

Which sticker do you get the most comments on?

I get the most comments on my UVA honor sticker because people are usually curious about what my role is within Honor and/or they had no idea that I was in honor until they saw the sticker.

Where do you get most of your stickers?

Almost all of the stickers were given to me by friends, or for the Honor sticker, the organization.  The AXO one was given to me by my big for example. The only sticker I bought was the Charlottesville one which I got from the UVA bookstore.

 

If you were to get another sticker, what kind of sticker would you like to get?

I’m not sure which sticker I would like to get next.  I’m pretty picky with my stickers and I don’t like to have that many, but I would probably get a beach sticker this summer or another UVA related one.

 

Audrey’s stickers are unique in that she limits the amount on her laptop, but each one is significant to her.  It is obvious from her laptop that Audrey loves UVA and has met many of her closest friends there.

Patrick Spahn is a cloud administrator for a school testing program.  Patrick lives in Reston, Virginia, but grew up with a mother in the military so he moved around a lot as a kid.  He graduated in 2016 from Virginia Military Institute and competed in Division 1 cross country and track there. Patrick has always enjoyed running, basketball, juggling soccer balls, skeet shooting, biking, skiing and almost all other outdoor activities.  He has competed in triathlons, most of a mountain bike race and many running events. Patrick is an avid shoe connoisseur and loves learning about new running shoes and athletic shoes. He enjoys working on cars, and has made many improvements to both his 1998 Ford Ranger and GMC Envoy.  Patrick is also very handy and is helping his father rebuild a boat, but still manages to fit in other projects all the time. When relaxing Patrick loves watching Netflix, HBO and other streaming services.   

Interview with Patrick Spahn:

Why do you display stickers on your laptop?

It was originally to differentiate computers at school and then go to making it better and more aesthetically pleasing.

What is your favorite sticker?

I like the cubs stickers because my dad gave it to me and they won the world series in 2016.  Go Cubbies!

Which sticker do you get the most comments on?

Definitely the Cloud Ninja and then probably Jordan because I think they’re the most unique.

Where do you get most of your stickers?

Just finding them either from products or my sister giving them to me.

What does the I cloud AWS sticker mean?

It’s a cloud sticker.  AWS is a company (Amazon Web Services) and someone at Smartronix, where I used to work gave them out to us.

Do you recommend GoPro and Yeti and the other companies that you display on your computer?

Yes definitely there are all good companies.  I think that they are a little expensive, but they make up with it for it with their quality.  I don’t know if I would recommend Saucony but I like the saying on the sticker. The same goes for the Spurs and Cubs.

 

Patrick’s stickers are interesting because he doesn’t display as many as other people, but he picks them up from random places and they have a lot of meaning to him.  He is also part of a slightly older generation that displays stickers and it is interesting to see.

Maggie Soderborg is a freshman at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.  She is majoring in nursing and loves learning new things and helping people.  Maggie is originally from Fairfax, Virginia and has a big family including four siblings.  In high school she ran track and threw shot put. Now she enjoys climbing, hiking and exploring the outdoors.  When the weather is bad she also enjoys doing yoga and other in-home workouts. Maggie enjoys doing crafts around her home and for other people.  She used to work at an ice cream parlor at BYU and enjoys eating ice cream immensely. During the summer Maggie worked as a lifeguard and is certified to save people, which is good preparation for becoming a nurse.

Why do you put stickers on your laptop and water bottle?

Well for my water bottle I started it actually because my dad did it, and he did that before I was born.  I always thought his water bottles were cool and he got me Nalgenes so I started adding stickers. I put them on my laptop because everyone else was doing it.

 

What is your favorite sticker?

I really like my Earth Treks sticker because I like how that one looks and I got it at a gym.

 

Where do you get most of your stickers?

Most of them come from things I buy because they come with stickers.  Usually I don’t have to buy them because they come with other things, unless I see one that is really cool like my Sun Dance one.  I bought that one because I wanted to remember that time. My friend Khuyen buys them for me a lot from RedBubble, but I never buy mine from there.  Sometimes they are at the side of the store like near the cashier and I just pick them up.

What sticker do you get the most comments on?

I used to get a lot of comments on a sticker on Laos because a lot of people don’t know where that is or that my family is from Laos.   I also get a lot of comments on my BYU sticker that looks like Patagonia just because it looks cool.

Where did you get your Sun Dance sticker from?

I got it from the Sun Dance store.  It is a ski resort in Utah.

 

It is interesting to hear how Maggie got into displaying her stickers because most people start because of the recent trend.  Maggie however was influenced by her father who started doing it so he would be able to identify his water bottle. Maggie’s stickers are also interesting because she picks them up from random places that she goes, rather than buying them from online.

Gill Russell is a sophomore at Penn State University, majoring in anthropology.  She is originally from Wakefield, Massachusetts, which is outside of Boston. She is an active member of the PSU Club XC team and enjoys running and racing with her friends.  Gill loves learning about history and enjoys reading in her free time. She is an avid music listener and enjoys exploring new music and artists. Her favorite color is purple and she loves anything mint flavored, but especially enjoys mint chocolate flavored foods.  Gill takes holidays seriously and even celebrates mint chocolate every year on February 19th! You can learn even more about Gill from the beautiful stickers she displays on her laptop!

Interview with Gill Russel:

Gill displays a variety of stickers on the top of her laptop. Photo by Rose Spahn.Why do you put stickers on your laptop?

Because I think they are fun and they’re really colorful and each one means something a little different to me.

What is your favorite sticker?

That’s a tough one, but the most eye catching one I have is the “Sasquatch Field Research Team”.  I bought it ironically because I am a scientist because an archaeologist is a scientist but it’s really funny and weird and very me.

What does the satanic star mean?

I am a big Supernatural fan, and that is the star that both the main characters have tattooed on their body to protect themselves from demons.  It’s something that most people won’t get unless they watch the show. Yah I’m not a demon worshipper or anything.

What is Ultra Q?

I was really into this band, their name was Mt. Eddie and I loved them and they broke up and I was devastated.  But then they got back together with this new name Ultra Q, and I saw them over the summer. I was so hype, I got to talk to the band members and I bought a glow in the dark t-shirt.  I thought it was super cool and they only had extra-larges left, but I was like I need this shirt. I took it home and slept in it and wore it and then when I washed it all of the letters and glow in the dark stuff came off.  So then I was really sad that I spent $25 on a black XL t-shirt that didn’t fit me. So then I DMed the band on instagram and told them the situation and asked them if they could send me a new t-shirt. Then a couple of months later after their tour they sent me a new t-shirt and some free laptop stickers, so I put one on my laptop.

What are the number and square stickers?

So I applied to a program called Eco Reps at Penn State and we have to take a class before we become one and we talk about the UN Sustainable Development Goals.  The professor had a bunch of stickers available, so I grabbed these two because they are the goals that I think are the most important to me. I really believe in Peace, Justice and strong institutions and climate actions.

 

If you were to get another sticker which sticker would you want?

I would really like “naturey” pictures, kinda like the Eastern Mountain Sports one because I think they are really cool. 

Gills stickers give a large amount of insight into what is important to Gill.  Pay attention to peoples stickers because you never know what you can learn!

John Spahn lives in Fairfax, Virginia and is now an avid sailor.  He attended college at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in computer science.  After college John worked as an aerospace engineer designing plane turbines. He has four children, three who have graduated college and one who is currently attending Penn State.  In retirement John enjoys sailing, programming and is active with the Fairfax Democrats. Everyday he walks his labradoodle Kenai around the lake across from his home. John is also a devoted sports fan with large connections to the San Antonio Spurs, the Chicago Cubs, and Chicago Bears.  John’s wife worked in the Air Force for over 20 years so he has lived all over the country and travelled to large portions of the world. John now enjoys visiting London about every other year and has taken many trips to destinations along the east coast. In high school and college John was an active runner and now he enjoys watching his children run various races.  

Interview with John Spahn:

Why do you choose to display stickers on your laptop?

Seven or eight years ago I was writing programs and I thought that it was cool that the other programmers were showing off stickers so I started to put them on my MacBook pro then, and have continued on my new computer since then.

What sticker do you get the most comments on or are you asked the most about?

My Duluth Trading Company Bare Naked Underwear sticker .  I get a lot of laughs about that sticker. I also get a lot of comments on my Pete Buttigieg sticker because it’s written in a way that people don’t understand right away.

Which sticker is your favorite and why?

That’s like asking what my favorite song is because it’s always changing.   Usually it’s the last one I put on. Right now I would have to say it’s my St Michaels Maritime Museum and the Maine Island Trails stickers.  The Main Island Trail is a trail that boats are supposed to follow when coming up the coast of Maine, there are little island parks only accessible to boats along the trail.  Both of my favorite stickers are sailing related because sailing is something I love to do.

What does the no pebble mine sticker mean?

Pebble is a mine in Alaska, south of Mount Iliamna, which is a volcano.  It is where the biggest natural surviving salmon run is located. About 30-40% of sockeye salmon in the world are from this area where pebble mine is going in.  There is a ton of gold, silver, copper and lithium in this salmon run so people want to mine there because there are upwards of a trillion dollars worth of metals.  There is a large debate over whether to conserve the salmon or mine the metals. I support the salmon. Because the metals are so dispersed mining would involve drilling deep into the ground over a large area of the salmon run.  To try to keep the mining from affecting surrounding areas barrier walls would be built, but to support a mine this size the walls would need to be as tall as the Washington monument. This area in Alaska is also known for having large amounts of earthquakes so the walls would eventually break and kill the salmon in this run.

 

Where do you get most of your stickers?

Pretty much everything I am interested in has stickers.  They have them at counters, political events, and companies give them to me.  Sometimes I have to send away for them like my Spurs sticker and my cubs sticker.  I had to pay for the Penn State sticker though so sometimes companies do make you pay.  

John displays a high volume of stickers on his laptop and he expresses concern that sometimes when he opens it up he is offending conservatives because of his large amount of liberal stickers and Lakers fans because of his Spurs sticker.

Logan Florence is a freshman studying mechanical engineering at the Ohio State University (I know gross).  He has a twin brother and one younger brother. Although Logan moved around a large amount as a child because of his family connections to the military, he attended high school in Fairfax, Virginia.  Following in his father’s footsteps Logan is a part of the Navy ROTC program at Ohio State and dreams of becoming a pilot in the future. Other than academics Logan enjoys running, and even ran a marathon this fall.  He also enjoys playing the guitar, listening to music, climbing, exploring outside and being active. Logan is an avid video editor and used to edit videos for a non-profit news organization.    

Why do you display stickers on your laptop and iPad?

I like to show stickers that people give to me or that I receive because I think it’s a cool way of showing appreciation.  Plus they look cool on my laptop and iPad.  

Which sticker is your favorite?

My favorite sticker is the Kona Brewing sticker because my uncle works for Kona brewing so I have good memories associated with him and the company.  My family travelled to Hawaii last year and even got to see the real Kona brewing company. I also think that the logo is really cool.

Is there any special meaning behind your THE. sticker?

The “THE.” sticker represents the “the” in “The Ohio State”.  It’s a big thing at Ohio State to always say The Ohio State.

 

What is the story behind the VW sticker?

My girlfriend actually gave me that sticker because I really like VW buses.  In high school I used to even talk about traveling around the country like road trip style with my twin brother in a VW bus so it’s cool for me to have a VW bus sticker.

 

Where do you get most of your stickers?

I get most of my stickers either free from products I buy or people give them to me.

 

Logan has fewer stickers than most other people on this blog, but I think that his stickers come from more outside sources, which is different because other people on the blog usually pick out their own stickers.   Logan also has a very diverse set of interests so he really just showcases parts of his life that supply him stickers.

Katie Contino is a freshman studying biology at Penn State University.  Originally from Cary, North Carolina located right outside of Raleigh she chose Penn State for the great academics and because of her family’s attachment to the school.  Katie has an older sister who is a senior at Penn State and both her parents are Penn State alumni. She is an avid sports fan supporting not only Penn State teams, but also Pittsburgh teams.  Her two favorite sports to watch are football and hockey. Katie loves her golden retriever Scooby who she sadly does not see often because he still lives in North Carolina with her parents. Although Katie is a picky eater, she loves coffee and after working at Starbucks has become hooked on their delicious drinks.  In high school Katie was a member of the golf team. Katie loves to travel and explore America’s national parks. In the dorm she is always sure to take good care of her plants and maintain a clean environment. Learn more about Katie in the interview below!

Why do you display stickers on your laptop?

I display stickers because they are fun.  I like to be reminded of my favorite things throughout the day.  I love watching the office, dogs, Pittsburgh sports and taking pictures.  These are all things and activities that are displayed on my computer.

 

Which sticker do you get the most comments on?

I get the most comments on my golden retriever sticker, which is fun because I love to talk about my dog and love to hear about other people’s dogs. 

What is your favorite sticker?

My favorite sticker is my Jeep and dog sticker because it incorporates two of my favorite things: Jeeps and dogs.  My dad has always driven and loved working on his Jeep, and I hope in the future to own a Jeep.  The dog on the sticker just makes it even more perfect for me.

 

Where do you get most of your stickers? 

I found all my stickers from RedBubble.

 

What does the 409 sticker on your laptop signify?

Joe Paterno won 409 games for Penn State football.

 

Are you missing any stickers or what sticker would you buy next?

I would probably put on a How I Met Your Mother sticker because the show is very funny and I enjoy references to it. 

Have you noticed the large amount of people with stickers all over their laptops and water bottles?  What can people actually learn from these stickers? My name is Rose Spahn. I’m from Fairfax, Virginia and attend Penn State.  I love running and run for the Penn State club cross country team.  I love nature, hiking, skiing and other outdoor activities. I love watching television shows and enjoy discussing them with other people.  I’m a food science major at Penn State and love to experiment with making different flavors of ice cream and using different methods to create a product.  I hope throughout this blog to ask people a variety of questions and see how different their answers are.  I will also include a short bio on the people included so you can see how well their stickers align with things they are interested in.  I started by asking myself these questions to help blog viewers get to know their writer.

Why do you put stickers on your laptop and water bottle?

I like to put stickers on my devices because they act as easy conversation starters.  I like when people comment on them with connections they have with things I like to do.

I also show many stickers on my water bottle, but I drop it a lot so these stickers become more worn out.  Pictures by Rose Spahn.

Which sticker is your favorite?

I like my never stop exploring sticker because I think it’s a cool motto to live by and the donkey is cute.  I love to travel and I think that it’s cool to talk with people about the different places they’ve been.

Which sticker have you gotten the most comments on?

I’ve gotten the most comments on my “Eat Pasta. Run Fasta” sticker because I think people think it is a funny play on words.  I have run since 8th grade and it is a large part of my life.

Where do you get your stickers?

I get a lot of my stickers from random events that I go to or stores that give them out.  REI  gives out a lot of free stickers, which is cool for me because I really like the outdoors and they have a lot of outdoors themed ones.  I also buy a lot of my stickers off of RedBubble, which if you have never visited the site is super fun to browse.  Anyone can design stickers for RedBubble, so there are so many different types and they are very cute.  

Are there any stickers that you have your eye on and hope to buy next?

I really want a PSU Club XC sticker because I spend a large chunk of my time running and with the team.  They are a big part of my life and I would love to display my love and connection to such an awesome group of people.