For the past two months, a seemingly never-ending bubble trail has zigzagged through the parking lot and hallways at Arcata High. Students have been enchanted by this peculiar sight. But where does the trail lead?
To senior Milani Hunnicutt! The campus’s very own bubble-wielding mastermind. With a collection of neon bubble guns at her disposal and desk (sometimes blue, pink, and recently green), she’s the enigmatic force responsible for this ethereal spectacle. But what drives her obsession with bubbles, and does deeper meaning lie beneath their shimmering surface?
Hunnicutt transferred to Arcata High from South Fork High School In August of 2022 as a junior, quickly standing out for her bold and bedazzled outfits. She floats through campus as if the world were her personal dance party, leaving a wake of “magical orbs floating through the sky,” as described by senior Owen Peterson.
She can be seen twirling in front of classrooms, savoring every minute before the bell rings, or jamming out during lulls of instruction, bubble gun always equipped.
Hunnicutt spreads a contagious energy that transforms the mundane into the magical. For her, bubbles are more than just fleeting orbs of iridescence—they are symbols of life’s cyclical beauty and the vibrant colors that paint our world.
“They’re a perfect circle and everything is full circle,” said Hunnicutt. “They’re also a rainbow and you can see the reflection of the Earth in each bubble.”
Her passion for bubbles is unwavering, fueled by a deep-seated self-love that shields her from the judgments of others.
“Everyone else’s opinion is irrelevant. I love myself, so no one else’s opinion can affect me,” she said.
Her journey with bubbles began in late February when she acquired her first bubble blower. Since then, she’s gone through at least ten guns and an average of two to three standard-sized cartridges a day.
While the bubble guns leave a lasting impression, they also often falter due to their plastic structure. This discrepancy becomes apparent as certain bubble containers fail to mesh with Hunnicutt’s token “Fubbles” gun. The guns can also overheat, necessitating occasional pauses during use.
“I use them too hard sometimes. Like I just be bubbling all day and then [the bubble blower gets] mad at me,” Hunnicutt said.
While they seem to have an uncertain life span, Hunnicutt’s safe hands preserve them till their sometimes sporadic end. Against more heavy-handed students, the bubble guns face the consequences of their fragile nature.
“One time this idiot slapped it out of my hand and the bottom [battery compartment] broke,” says Hunnicutt.
To Hunnicutt, bubbles represent a “more magical world” where she can embrace her inner child and spread joy to others
“It’s lovely to watch all the little kids in the school chase at the bubbles and cherish their inner child again,” Hunnicutt said.
Peterson can testify to this effect.
“I feel like I’ve been forced to grow a little bit, and this brings out the kid,” Peterson said.
However, some students see Hunnicutt’s bubbles as something less than magical, a soapy mess.
Senior Alex White, shares second-period mythology with Hunnicutt. He initially found the bubbles fun and quirky and said they were “a light-hearted distraction from the actual education.” However, after an estimated eight consecutive days of bubble-filled classrooms, he grew a sense of hatred for the soapy residue coating floors and desks.
White has voiced fears of students slipping on the slick floors, while Peterson has a differing view on this issue.
“I say deal with it. Natural selection should come back,” Peterson said.
“It’s a lot of bubbles, like hundreds of bubbles,” said White. “And it’s getting on my paper and in my eyes.”
To be fair, he doesn’t recall whether the intrusive bubbles came from Hunnicutt or other classmates, as the gun is often passed around.
“I don’t feel any negative thoughts toward the bubbles or Milani, I think that the both of them make a monster,” White said. (This is a fitting remark if one has seen her collection of fuzzy monster hats.)
Despite this, he acknowledges Hunnicutt’s commitment to her passion.
“I think that they work well together. She seems to be committed to [the bubbles], I respect it.” White said, perhaps implying that their inseparability comes off as a relationship.
Hunnicutt has grown inept to the distaste of bubble haters, she advises individuals to release the need for validation from others.
“Let go of that fear that people are gonna judge you because people are gonna judge you no matter what. So you might as well be as happy as you can with yourself,” Hunnicutt said.
To already tired students, Arcata High’s fog-shrouded campus can often appear a dreary and draining compound. For a school composed mostly of gray, steel, and concrete, Hunnicutt’s bubbles may serve as spherical glimpses of hope for students struggling to find color in their monochromatic school days.
