diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index e41f1adb8..8546c41b7 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ module ApplicationHelper
 
   def tag_colors(tag)
     Rails.cache.fetch("view-helper-#{tag}/tag_colors", expires_in: 5.hours) do
-      if found_tag = Tag.find_by_name(tag)
+      if found_tag = Tag.select(%i[bg_color_hex text_color_hex]).find_by_name(tag)
         { background: found_tag.bg_color_hex, color: found_tag.text_color_hex }
       else
         { background: "#d6d9e0", color: "#606570" }
diff --git a/app/labor/flare_tag.rb b/app/labor/flare_tag.rb
index 276c891d2..911f8aaec 100644
--- a/app/labor/flare_tag.rb
+++ b/app/labor/flare_tag.rb
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class FlareTag
   def tag
     @tag ||= Rails.cache.fetch("article_flare_tag-#{article.id}-#{article.updated_at}", expires_in: 12.hours) do
       flare = FLARES.detect { |f| article.cached_tag_list_array.include?(f) }
-      flare && flare != except_tag ? Tag.find_by_name(flare) : nil
+      flare && flare != except_tag ? Tag.select(%i[name bg_color_hex text_color_hex]).find_by_name(flare) : nil
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/labor/sticky_article_collection.rb b/app/labor/sticky_article_collection.rb
index aa2dc6cf5..788880d48 100644
--- a/app/labor/sticky_article_collection.rb
+++ b/app/labor/sticky_article_collection.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ class StickyArticleCollection
   def initialize(article, author)
     @article = article
     @author = author
-    @article_tags = article_tags
     @reaction_count_num = Rails.env.production? ? 15 : -1
     @comment_count_num = Rails.env.production? ? 7 : -2
   end
@@ -18,16 +17,15 @@ class StickyArticleCollection
   end
 
   def suggested_stickies
-    (tag_articles + more_articles).sample(8)
+    (tag_articles.load + more_articles).sample(8)
   end
 
   def tag_articles
-    Article.tagged_with(article_tags, any: true).
+    @tag_articles ||= Article.tagged_with(article_tags, any: true).
       includes(:user).
       where("positive_reactions_count > ? OR comments_count > ?", reaction_count_num, comment_count_num).
       where(published: true).
       where.not(id: article.id, user_id: article.user_id).
-      limited_column_select.
       where("featured_number > ?", 5.days.ago.to_i).
       order("RANDOM()").
       limit(8)
@@ -39,7 +37,6 @@ class StickyArticleCollection
     Article.tagged_with(["career", "productivity", "discuss", "explainlikeimfive"], any: true).
       includes(:user).
       where("comments_count > ?", comment_count_num).
-      limited_column_select.
       where(published: true).
       where.not(id: article.id, user_id: article.user_id).
       where("featured_number > ?", 5.days.ago.to_i).
@@ -48,8 +45,6 @@ class StickyArticleCollection
   end
 
   def article_tags
-    tags = article.cached_tag_list_array
-    tags.delete("discuss")
-    tags
+    @article_tags ||= article.cached_tag_list_array - ["discuss"]
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/articles/_sticky_nav.html.erb b/app/views/articles/_sticky_nav.html.erb
index 3c98df33b..ead59d06b 100644
--- a/app/views/articles/_sticky_nav.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/articles/_sticky_nav.html.erb
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
       <% @sticky_collection = StickyArticleCollection.new(@article, @organization || @user) %>
       <% @sticky_articles = @sticky_collection.suggested_stickies %>
       <% @user_stickies = @sticky_collection.user_stickies %>
-      <% if @user_stickies && @user_stickies.any? %>
+      <% if @user_stickies.any? %>
         <% @user_stickies.each_with_index do |article, index| %>
           <div class="primary-sticky-nav-element-wrapper">
             <% if index == 0 %>
diff --git a/db/migrate/20190306082543_add_index_to_articles_path.rb b/db/migrate/20190306082543_add_index_to_articles_path.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77ae46edf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/db/migrate/20190306082543_add_index_to_articles_path.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+class AddIndexToArticlesPath < ActiveRecord::Migration[5.1]
+  def change
+    add_index :articles, :path
+  end
+end
diff --git a/db/schema.rb b/db/schema.rb
index 296671d1b..114709099 100644
--- a/db/schema.rb
+++ b/db/schema.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #
 # It's strongly recommended that you check this file into your version control system.
 
-ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20190305221008) do
+ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20190306082543) do
   # These are extensions that must be enabled in order to support this database
   enable_extension "plpgsql"
 
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ ActiveRecord::Schema.define(version: 20190305221008) do
     t.index ["boost_states"], name: "index_articles_on_boost_states", using: :gin
     t.index ["featured_number"], name: "index_articles_on_featured_number"
     t.index ["hotness_score"], name: "index_articles_on_hotness_score"
+    t.index ["path"], name: "index_articles_on_path"
     t.index ["published_at"], name: "index_articles_on_published_at"
     t.index ["slug"], name: "index_articles_on_slug"
     t.index ["user_id"], name: "index_articles_on_user_id"