Tattoos are a moderately controversial subject. You like them, you don’t, or truly you don’t care.
There’s something so personal about them, if you don’t have them I don’t think you should have an opinion – but that’s just my two cents. I have 18.
My mom considered me heavily tattooed when I only had 16, but for some reason it took those two more for me to maybe consider that I am. But, the editor for the Chimes asked me if I had any tattoos, so now I’m thinking that truly I’m really not.
Many of my tattoos mean something to me, and the rest are like funky stickers on a Nalgene water bottle, they’re purely for decoration.
Four of them are for my brothers, one for my cousin, another for my grandmother. The rest are for me. I have an ample amount of Hozier lyrics, way too many flowers, fruit, and a tiny ghost. If I really want it – eventually I’ll get it. So far I have not regretted a single one, and I’m thinking I probably won’t.
My grandma hates almost all of them, except for the one she finds to be elegant – that one was my first. She forgets sometimes how many I have, but she constantly tells me she loves that one. My mom stopped asking me when I would stop getting them, and she started asking me my favorite places to go.
Weird old men always have something to say about my tattoos. They’ll mock me for them as if I’m not right in front of them, they’ll ask me how my mother feels about them and I get to tell them that my mother has tattoos too, and occasionally I’ll get groped in the store by people who want me to stop so they can look at them. A mixture of disgust and distaste slighted by that tone in their voice when they tell me that they’re “too afraid” or “would never know what to get,” as if I have anything to do with it.
Some people have incredibly meaningful tattoos, and despite the weird stigma around them, it’s literally like collecting art–your body is the gallery. This article was originally going to be about rating Capital student’s and alumni’s tattoos, but I’d rather appreciate the ones I like the most.
Heather Fryman has a capybara tattoo, and it’s the cutest freaking tattoo I have ever seen in my life. Its name is Peaches.
Lindsay Schmitt has a butterfly tattoo that symbolizes growth, change, and hope – and I have personally gotten a tattoo on the rib area and know that hurts like the worst pain in the world so I am incredibly impressed that she could get one so large. It’s also beautifully done.
Blake Randleman has an amazing tattoo in honor of her dog, who sadly passed away. It’s a reminder of a lifelong friend that may be lost, but never forgotten.
Andie Cascioli has Dwight Schrute from The Office, as a bear – in reference to “bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica” which is a very iconic scene in the show. I love it so much.
Brooke Taylor has a tattoo that represents her type one diabetes, which is clearly something near and dear to her. T1D is an incredibly hard thing to have, and the power to fight through it amazes me every day.
I have my older brother’s signature from the last birthday card he ever got to give to me, and various other meaningful things, on my right arm. It’s a reminder to me every time I look down of what I’ve experienced. Tattoos can be very powerful and thoughtful, or they can be stupid.
The moral of the story is that if it’s not your body, why do you care? My sunflower tattoo shouldn’t ruin your day. My roommate’s sun tattoo shouldn’t grind your gears. Unless it’s a really ugly tattoo, maybe keep your mouth shut.
Actually, if it’s ugly, you should probably still keep your mouth shut.
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