Let’s talk about tattoos. Since I just got my first one this past Saturday, I’m still over the moon about getting it. Yeah, these little ink spots are completely permanent unless you look at treatments.
Everyone will constantly be telling you that, and they’re saying it because it’s true. You can’t scratch away the ink, you can’t erase it and you can’t wash it off.
The fact that a tattoo is everlasting is something that appealed to me. On good days it will be there, and on bad days it will be there to remind me why I got it in the first place.
Now, obviously, not everyone is a fan of tattoos. I’m not looking forward to my grandmother finding out about my ink because I know she won’t be happy. I can already see her flipping to the page in her Bible and showing me the verse where it talks about your body being a temple.
Which is fine — that’s her opinion and even though it goes against mine, I still respect it. People are going to have wavering opinions no matter where you go. What really matters is if you want it, no one else should waver your feelings about getting a tattoo.
Another big news flash is that there’s almost no such thing as an original tattoo unless you hand draw it yourself and find an artist to transform it. It’s completely OK to have the same tattoo as someone else. You can’t help what you like. The tattoo might be the same but it could have completely different meanings for people. Looking on Pinterest is a great way to see options of what you could get. If you see something you like, you can also add your own personal twist to it. Talk to your artist. He or she knows what they are doing; they have dealt with so many tattoos and they're crazy talented.
If you’re going into a profession that requires a lot of formality but still want a tattoo, get one! Just because you have a tattoo doesn’t mean you can’t be a serious person and do what needs to be done. An employer isn’t going to do a full body search for any ink, so don’t let that hold you back. Doctors have them, lawyers have them and teachers have them.
In the end, if you want a tattoo go get a tattoo. It doesn’t matter if you thought about it for a year or if you thought of it yesterday. Columbia has plenty of places with experienced artists. If it’s in your price range, go for it.