Arts & Humanities Campus News Society & Culture

Personal(ized) Computers

An illustration of a laptop cover covered in cartoon-style stickers
Students and faculty decorate their laptops with colorful stickers that reflect their personalities. Do you do the same? Illustrations by Jackie Roberts, photos by Ireland Hayes

Very few plain laptop lids exist on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. An array of colorful stickers and covers embellish computers in every classroom, study space, and residence hall.a cartoon illustration of a mushroom with a red cap and white stem

Whether it’s to share their interests, promote programs and organizations, or just because they think it makes their laptop look cooler, student and faculty computers reflect the individual personalities of the campus community.

Emily Kim, second-year psychology major, Milton, GA

Emily Kim studies at a table in the Tate Student Center at UGA with her computer in front of her. The lid of the laptop is covered in colorful stickers.

Emily Kim has covered her laptop in stickers that show off her interests and connect her with other students.

“Everyone has the same boring laptop. A lot of people have MacBooks, so I like to put stickers to show some personality and some people will recognize it and then a conversation will come up.”

Kathleen Sullivan, third-year music therapy major, Covington, LAKathleen Sullivan studies outside of the Hugh Hodson School of Music with her stickers on full display, one being a cartoon beet. She loves the vegetable, and it has become a joke between her and her friends.

“Beets are my favorite vegetable, and my friends make fun of me because nobody likes beets.” she says, “we saw this at a bookstore, and they all said I had to buy it. I guess it’s a part of my personality now.”

Mikaela Haast, second-year health promotion major, Leesburg, VA.

Mikaela Haast sits outside on a sunny day on UGA's north campus working on her computer. Her computer has a case covered in white starts, and a sticker of the Tri Delta sorority letters.

Students often display stickers of clubs or organizations they are involved in on campus. Mikaela Haast proudly displays her sorority letters.

a cartoon illustration of a dark yellow flower“I love being in Tri Delta so I might as well rep it.” she says, “We’re such a big organization, it’s hard to know everyone. It’s nice whenever I’m around campus, or I see someone with a sticker or t-shirt and I don’t know her. I can say ‘Oh, I’m a Tri-Delt too.’ We usually know similar people so it’s nice to have that community.”

 

Phillip Chason BBA ’18, dual MBA and law student, Cairo, GA

Phillip Chason studies in the UGA Law Library with his laptop on the desk in front of him. The stickers on it include Georgia Law, the Jittery Joe's Coffee Shop logo, and others.

Phillip Chason BBA ’18 displays a few of his favorite things on his computer—including Jittery Joe’s and Georgia Law.

“I like local Athens stuff. And I like to support Georgia Law.”

Chason’s Jittery Joe’s sticker has been through a lot, but he is determined to show his love for the local Athens coffee shop.

“I’ve actually replaced this one because it gets so worn. So that’s the second one I’ve had on there.”

Lori Johnston ABJ ’95, MFA ’17, lecturer at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication

Professor Lori Johnston is pictured in a bubble in the corner of the image, with a photo of her laptop in the main frame. She has several stickers on the lid, including one depicting the UGA arch

Lori Johnston’s personal and work laptops are filled with stickers. She also gives stickers to students as rewards for achievement in her classes.

“We professors have our things, and I want to be known for my stickers” she says, “My thought was when I have my laptop open what do they see? Because I want students to learn about me like I learn about them.”

cartoon illustration of a birdJohnston loves seeing her students’ stickers as well, and views it as an opportunity to learn something new about them.

As a proud Double Dawg, Johnston displays several UGA-related stickers on her computer, but her arch sticker is her favorite.

“A lot of students have UGA-related stickers for departments or programs that I don’t know about. And so I’m able to learn about that program, through them. It gives me a sense of where students are headed before and after my class.”

Do you have a collage of stickers on your computer? Submit a photo to gmeditor@uga.edu to show them off in our alumni laptop feature! (we may not be able to run all submitted photos.)