Mystery Stickerer Spreads Happiness

So I always wondered: what's the deal with the inspirational quote-inscribed Priority Mail address labels that began mysteriously appearing around campus this year? You’ve probably spotted them around campus – on a metal callbox, the Dinky, a lamppost, or a printer cluster. Well, wonder no longer: they're the evidence of a project whose mission is simple: “make someone smile today.”It’s the message that was written on the first sticker posted on the Princeton campus by the student or students whose secret identity is “Priority Mail,” or “PM.” He/she/they chose to remain anonymous, as “the messages of Priority Mail are far more important than their author(s),” but PM lowered the veil of mystery enough to give us the scoop on the project.The goal: PM is on a mission to inject creativity and positive thought into unexpected moments of everyday life, aiming to evoke both inspiration and reflection.Why use mailing labels? It’s a nod to graffiti artists’ use of postal labels as a convenient medium, plus the adhesive is a nice touch when PM wants to slap a label in place without blowing his cover. High-traffic locations are PM’s favorites, as he’s most proud of the ones that are hardest to place.Although the project is still relatively new, PM says he’s overheard people talking about the labels.  The response has been “very positive,” but he’s not tempted to reveal himself just yet.For now the project is only in Princeton, but PM isn’t ruling out expanding in the future. But, he added, “the metal call boxes of the 08544 will always hold a special place in the heart of the project.”If you need a little creativity in your life, or just some words of encouragement from our mystery stickerer, PM has a blog with photographs of the labels and their locations around campus – scavenger hunt time!  Doubt that a sticker can cure your homework woes?  The ones in Firestone feel your pain: