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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

I recently got a new emotional support water bottle. I first heard the term in high school and did not think it would apply to me until I glanced at my water bottle and realized I had been using it for about six years. An emotional support water bottle is a water bottle you take everywhere and use all the time. So, allow me to take you through the different emotional support water bottles I’ve had over the years. 

For most of elementary school, I would frequently forget my water bottle. I would forget to fill it up and, overall, just not drink water in a consistent way. So, there was no consistent water bottle until fifth grade, when I picked up a Contigo water bottle that stayed with me until about seventh grade. This light blueish-gray water bottle was always by my side during the school day and for sports practices. Outside of those events I tended to opt for other containers and cups. 

However, this water bottle got me through my first Spanish class, where I learned that contigo means “with you” in Spanish, alongside many other important life events. All bets were off when I got a yellow Hydro Flask for Christmas in seventh grade. The search was over. This yellow Hydro Flask was going to go through it all with me. 

I was a huge fan of the color yellow and thought it perfectly reflected a sunny, optimistic vibe to carry with me throughout the day. The yellow Hydro Flask started out with your typical twisted lid with a little handle, which was a weird transition that stuck around for longer than I thought. There was no doubt when someone introduced me to the topic of “emotional support water bottles” this yellow Hydro Flask was the one. 

During my freshman year of high school, my beloved emotional support water bottle received a small upgrade of a straw top, a little transition that led me to drink more water because I was back to a straw. It just felt easier to remember to drink water. Usually, there is some form of decoration that develops over time with emotional support water bottles, but, for me, the plain yellow Hydro Flask was my favorite ball of sunshine, and stickers, or other decorations, would just be clouds.

However, when I brought the water bottle to my freshman year of college, it didn’t matter how many times I washed it with hot water and soap; the realization of needing a new water bottle was inevitable. The yellow Hydro Flask had to retire. 

The rest of freshman year was spent searching for a new one. Walmart seemed to be my last hope for finding an emotional support water bottle. That is where I found a blue, ten-dollar water bottle. It quickly became my new emotional support water bottle, even if it was temporary. It went everywhere with me for the rest of my spring semester and summer. Unfortunately, there was a small crevice that was near impossible to clean, and my best attempts to flush out and clean that way were in vain. There was mold. 

Straight to the Owala website I went and ordered a new emotional support water bottle. It arrived at my home instead of college, so it arrived with my parents this past family weekend. This new water bottle is a pretty light green color. I was also able to take the blue water bottle’s star sticker from summer camp and transfer it over to have a little extra comfort. 

Over the years, I’ve found that a straw is the only way I’ll actually drink water, and I was a little skeptical of the Owala straws. They seemed so different, and they were hidden from the outside of the water bottle, which is a very scary change. So far, I can’t say that I’m fully on board because it is a change in the way I’m used to drinking water, but I have refilled it more than I usually refill my water bottle. This is also a reminder to appreciate and clean your emotional support water bottles!

Ella is a new writer/member of the St. Bonaventure Her Campus Chapter. She plans on writing pieces that cover music, literature, TV and Movies, and the happenings of her life here at SBU. Ella is a sophomore Adolescent Education Major with a concentration in English. She enjoyed doing New Visions Education during her senior year of high school, which gave her a small experience of observing middle and high school classrooms. She has enjoyed exploring all of the clubs and opportunities SBU has to offer, and continues to do so by joining Her Campus, volunteering at the SPCA, and as a member of the Bonaventure Education Association (BEA). Outside of classes and Her Campus, Ella can be found studying, reading, or outside soaking up the sun (whenever it’s an option to “photosynthesize”). Ella also loves chatting with friends as a part of her not-so-quick study breaks.