By James Wendt

Water bottles have recently become the trendy tag-along in almost every Naperville North student’s arsenal of day-to-day necessities. Believe it or not, drinking water is in vogue.

An ongoing push urging consumers to be eco-friendly coupled with the possibility of personalization and fun colors means water bottles say more about a person than actual environmental awareness. This trend targets an individual’s preference through a variety of practical qualities and styles.

Looking down the hallway during a passing period or glancing across desktops in the middle of class, it is hard to miss the variety of water bottles swinging next to peoples’ legs or resting on notebooks. As with all fads, each individual Camelbak, Contigo, or Thermos water bottle was selected with pensive consideration. One might consider the brand name, the color, and practicality when buying into the water bottle craze. Naperville North student Monika Mann described some of the characteristics that went into consideration when she purchased her Camelbak water bottle.

“It was a brand that I heard people liked, it looked convenient just because there was a handle at the end, and it was small enough that I knew I could drink it a couple times and not have to pee a lot,” said Mann.

These considerations might even go as far as to reveal one’s personality. Mann’s water bottle communicates her sensibility before she even opens her mouth. As sophomore Meredith White explains, a water bottle might even alert others to the owner’s personality type.

“I feel like the girls with purple are more sporty than girls with pink, like me,” said White.

Whether there really is a correlation between colors and personalities is debatable; however, the imaginations behind such a relationship demonstrate the true accessory nature of water bottles. It is a great way to express environmental-responsibility, convenience, and personality.

While the trend has taken the school by storm, this practicality might come as an annoyance to those whose water bottles constantly leak. Some high-end water bottles can cost as much as $30, or as I call it: seven Big-Macs. This price breeds trouble when some products crack, leak, and spill. The trend-like nature of water bottles persuades consumers to ignore such obvious flaws. Ridiculousness is a sheer sign of fashion, and consumers must decide for themselves if they will buy into the water bottle craze. Caroline Letzel, water bottle aficionado, recognizes the irrational allure of spending money on a bottle that can turn fountain after a few falls.

“It’s like a waste of money, almost, that I spent so much money on it when it doesn’t last as long as it should. It’s just kind of the idea of having a cool water bottle, when really it doesn’t matter,” said Letzel.