Having Sticker-Envy? A Guide to Decorating Your Laptop

By Celeste Parler 
Web Content Contributor

Showing up to class on the first day and feeling out of place seeing everyone with their decorated laptops is something I don’t ever want to experience again.

Your laptop is undoubtedly one of the most important things to have in your backpack. That’s why it’s so important to express yourself in class with how you decorate your laptop. And the perfect way to do that is with stickers. Stickers let everyone know your interests, what you stand for and most importantly, your vibe.

Even though my laptop is a work in progress, I still want to help you to know the basics of customizing yours to perfection.

The first thing I’d suggest is to look around at classmates and friends for inspiration. It’s especially helpful when your friends have similar tastes or enjoy the same things you do. More likely than not, you’ll need some inspiration before you will know what you want or know what to shop for.

One popular way to design your laptop with stickers is by using a theme. Now it’s easier than ever to do with themed sticker sets. Instead of curating a collection of stickers (which I’ll get to shortly), you can buy sets with stickers of all one color/color palette, piece of media (like a TV show), or sets by the same illustrator. I personally love this set of classic artwork stickers I have started to decorate my laptop with.

If artwork isn’t your thing, I would recommend collecting stickers from your favorite brands, businesses and local shops. Local artwork is the best at making your laptop stand out from the rest of your classmates. My favorite brand sticker would have to be my KTSW 89.9 sticker. These are great at starting conversations and meeting new people who love the same businesses you do.

Now you are ready to gather your stickers. Some of the most popular places to buy affordable stickers are Etsy, Redbubble and Amazon. It’s pretty common to not have a thought-out design when you are sticker shopping. That’s why my best advice is to buy any sticker that draws your attention (within your personal budget, of course). But here are some things to keep in mind:

• Aesthetic: Even if you do not want a cohesive theme, your laptop will be more visually appealing with a cohesive aesthetic. Think of an aesthetic as a visually appealing motif that expresses your personality and style.
• Personal Interests: Stickers don’t have to be just appealing visuals, they can represent your favorite quotes, bands or movements with recognizable logos.
• Matching: Just because two stickers are great on their own doesn’t mean they will look good next to each other, or on the same laptop.

For the most creative of students, another option is designing and printing your own stickers. You don’t even have to have your own machinery. Websites like Vistaprint allow you to print unique stickers, including in small quantities. They make it easy to customize their pre-existing templates or submit your own images to turn them into stickers.

It’s almost time to start placing your stickers. You might have only seen people apply them to the back of their laptop to show off to everyone else. Try placing stickers near the keyboard for messages you save for yourself. If you end up having a surplus of stickers, there’s always real estate on a water bottle or notebook.

Before making any decisions, take out your sticker set and arrange them across your laptop. This gives you the ability to make last-minute changes… or rethink your design skills. Try to keep similar stickers apart from each other and place contrasting shapes and colors together. Don’t be afraid to leave open space so you have room to grow your sticker collection.

The final step is actually decorating your laptop. Clean off any surfaces where stickers will be with a damp cloth or wipes. Carefully apply each sticker and press them flat. Now you have yourself a custom, decorated laptop sure to make all your peers sticker-envy.

Featured Image by Celeste Parler