By: Olive Varvel

In 2020, you weren’t truly ready for the school day without a Hydro Flask covered in stickers and dents. By 2022, the 40oz Stanley Quencher was all over desktops. Today, if you walk the halls of Bellbrook High School, the Owala FreeSip dominates side pockets. In high school, trend cycles are shifting at top speeds, and nothing reflects that shift better than a $40 insulated water bottle.

Senior Alina Shroyer has seen four years of water bottle trends. “Over the years, I have had water bottles from Hydro Flask, Owala, Stanley, Simple Modern, Yeti, and I currently have a HydroJug,” Shroyer said.

For trend-conscious students, fashion is definitely preferred over function. Shroyer estimates she has swapped her main water bottle three or four times throughout high school. “I usually switch because of a new pattern that I got, not because the previous one stopped working,” Shroyer said. She added that today’s look is far more sleek and minimal compared to the sticker-covered water bottles of the past.

Then there are other students, like junior Jimmy Sowle, who view hydration purely through a functional lens. “I currently do not use a water bottle. I often use plastic water bottles,” Sowle said.

However, he did recognize the growing popularity of Owalas in the classroom. “I see a lot of Stanleys and Owalas around the school, as well as the trusty plastic,” Sowle said. “I like Owalas. The straw versatility is nice.”