The University Bookstore's annual poster sale has attracted students for almost 20 years with posters ranging from John Belushi wearing the "COLLEGE" T-shirt to others featuring a scantily clad Anna Kournikova.
"I personally have been here for the past 10 years, and it is usually very popular with the students," said Jeff Apostolou, the road manager of the poster sale.
The first four days of the poster sale always take place at the Aquatic & Fitness Center before it is moved to the bookstore.
"The sales at the AFC [are] usually higher because of its proximity to the dorms and the excitement about the first day of the sale," Apostolou said. "But this year the sales were not as high because the weather was so bad."
Poster sales have also been affected by the newly adopted fire regulations, according to Apostolou.
Fire code regulations dictate that on-Grounds housing residents now can only put nonflammable or flame resistant objects, such as posters, on 10 percent of their wall space.
"Our sales were affected starting last year when the 10 percent rule came about," he said. "This year they are even slower because of the new and more difficult regulations."
Despite the fall in sales, some students said they still think it is convenient to buy posters.
"Posters are the only thing we can actually put up there with the lamination," second-year College student Lizzy Spavins said. "Because you don't want to laminate pictures and you cannot put up French bulletin boards or drawing sheets."
Although Apostolou said the University's new fire code regulations have had a negative effect on the poster sale, there has been another factor to balance out the fall in the sales.
"We are now sponsored by the bookstore which enables us to use the system of payment they use such as Student Charge and Cav. Advantage, whereas three years ago we just used cash and major credit cards," he said. "So now at least the new payment methods offset the sales."
Whether the sales are high or low, students have a wide range of preferences when it comes to posters.
"I have an Usher poster as well as those old French posters," Spavins said.
Apostolou said he has witnessed some trends among the poster shopping habits of University students over the decade.
"Certain things like Bob Marley and Van Gogh and of course Scarface have been staples for the last 10 years," he said. "And then there are those ones like Kill Bill and Boondock Saints who are hot for a little bit."
Students interested in buying posters -- whether to enjoy them in spite of the University's fire regulations or in the freedom of an off-Grounds room -- can stop by the poster sale for the rest of the week.
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