When Michael Filipowski stepped into his freshman dorm room at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he knew the dull-looking space needed some personality - his own.

So he covered the walls with posters that reflected his interests: the video game "Call of Duty," the Huskers and the band Blink 182.

Plastering dorm room walls with posters is a college tradition that goes back decades. College bookstores stock posters, and some schools even have special poster sale days on campus. You also can find a big selection online.

It's a cheap way to decorate, with posters starting as low as $3.

Self-expression is part of the goal. But students also say posters are a way to connect with others who share the same interest, whether it's a band, actor or sports team. They help dormmates and roommates become friends. Adults do the same when they decorate work cubicles with golf photos or display pictures from a family trip to Disney World.