This week I’ve decided to focus on an object that I really don’t give enough credit to for its role in my daily life: my water bottle.

I’ve carried a reusable water bottle with me everyday probably since middle school. Subsequently, I’ve gone through quite a few of them over the years. I learned early on that I need a sturdy, heavy duty water bottle (to compensate for how often I drop literally anything I’m holding, ever) and one that holds at least 20 fluid ounces (as to avoid constant refills). I’ve had a couple bottles, mainly throughout college, that fulfilled this criteria; unfortunately, I also lose everything in addition to dropping everything–so none of these water bottles lasted me more than 6 months or so. This water bottle, however, is the exception.

I purchased the bottle from the campus Starbucks last May (hence the very noticable, block lettered logo at the bottom of the bottle).

I was looking to spend the last of my dining dollars before leaving for the summer, and as the $30 dollar bottle wasn’t something I would normally spend “real” money on, it was a nice treat. Having used the bottle for quite some time now, I have to admit that $30 was a very reasonable price for this item. The bottle is relatively thin, holds 20 fluid ounces and fits perfectly into the side pocket of my back pack. The exterior, which was coated with a matte black finish when I first purchased it, has since sustained a handful of dents and scratches from–you guessed it–me dropping the bottle.

Yet unlike other water bottles I’ve had in the past, which were generally manufactured from plastic, this one remains fully functional despite its bruises thanks to its (what I assume to be) aluminum interior. This renders the bottle exceptionally “tough” and nearly unbreakable; moreover, the metal effectively keeps cool liquids cool and warm liquids warm. A rubber ring is attached to the neck of the bottle, allowing one to easily pick it up.

Perhaps the only aspect of this object I don’t like is its lid. The circular metal top is not attached to the bottle but rather twists on; often times I don’t screw the lid on tight enough when I’m in a rush and thus fall victim to a leaky water bottle.

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In the past I’ve covered my water bottles with stickers, so it was always a disappointment when I lost the bottle or it broke. In hopes of not wasting any other fun stickers (which could better serve other items, like my guitar case), I decided to personalize this bottle with a single sticker. I’ve been interning with the Democracy Matters Institute for over a year now and serve as the president of our campus chapter, so seeing this sticker on my water bottle every day is a nice reminder of the things I am passionate about. It’s also served as a conversation starter quite a few times, which, come to think of it, is an interesting example of how our objects blend into our every day lives.