You might’ve first encountered bathroom stall graffiti in middle school. Maybe someone thought it was funny to draw a penis on the inside of the door, or write their significant other’s name in a heart (and you would find it scratched out a week later). Throughout middle and high school, I’ve always been fascinated by bathroom graffiti, and why people would want to spend any more time than necessary drawing on a toilet stall. I was never an artist myself, but I’ve often admired the art of the valiant-yet-anonymous creators who either bare themselves and their art to random people. I’m glad that this trend has continued in college because there’s nothing more entertaining than finding a gem of a sentence etched on a stall tucked in the back of a CAS bathroom. Here are ones that were just too good not to share that I’ve found on my bathroom graffiti search.
The Wholesome Ones
“The only thing that matters is your happiness”
Wholesome bathroom graffiti is the type of graffiti that I spotted the most, which I sincerely appreciated. There’s something strangely comforting about a random note of encouragement, especially when you’re having a rough day or dealing with something stressful. This is the type of support that might get you at least through your next class or maybe even the rest of your day.
“Yeah but you CAN, you’re stronger than you think, hang in there”
“Nah bitch ur the last piece of pie (like a really good fucking pie)”
These messages are reminders that you’re not alone in a university that seems constantly buzzing with life. Plenty of people are still figuring things out, and even though a lot of them act composed, they might be just as lost as everyone else.
“There is so much love left in the world. Try to remember that, even when you can’t feel it.”
The Political Ones
Although wholesome bathroom graffiti has a special place in my heart, the political messages that are strewn all over the bathroom stalls are my personal favorites. It’s a way to vent whatever you’re feeling and to strongly express your political views anonymously without being judged. Although, something tells me that these people don’t really care whether you agree with their “FUCK TRUMP!” statements or not.
“Fuck Kavanaugh. Bless Dr. Ford. AMEN!”
These are agendas I can get behind. Shoutout to the people that wrote these, because you successfully made me smile and think: Bitch, yes!
The Uncategorizable Ones
These are too random to be able to categorize but are too good to not share with others. They’re the ones where you have to stop and admire the handicraft of the artist, and also the contribution of the people. They’re the ones where people are having active conversations about what they’re thankful for or how to properly use toilet paper. When you think about bathroom stall graffiti, these are most likely the examples you’d think about.
“Be gay. Do crimes. Ride bikes. Support workers.”
A couple of my favorites in this extensive list are: Harry Styles, mac n cheese, and hot showers.
This masterlist of what people are grateful for is sweet, sarcastic, funny, and just summarizes bathroom graffiti in one picture.
“Should the toilet paper be under or over?”
Whether you think they’re a work of art or an act of vandalism, bathroom stall graffiti is something that’s integral in our culture.
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