To some, tattoos are just a form of expression. For third-year psychology student Jessie Colby, they mean much more than that. She waited eagerly to get her first tattoo, and finally got one at the age of 18.
“I’ve just always found tattoos interesting for as long as I can remember. It’s kind of like a painting that you put on the wall except you carry it with you forever, and I’ve always liked that idea because you can get things that mean a lot to you and carry them for the rest of your life.” Colby stated.
Colby got her largest tattoo, a phoenix on her arm, because of what it represents.
“When a phoenix is destroyed, it rises from the ashes by itself and becomes new again,” she said.
Phoenix birds persevere and carry on, through everything that happens to them. Colby's tattoo serves as a reminder that she can get through even the most difficult situations.
Before getting the tattoo, both of Colby's maternal grandparents died within 10 weeks of each other. These kinds of events that require resilience and mental toughness make her think of the phoenix tattoo and what it symbolizes — building herself back up even if seems impossible.
Colby takes into consideration the location of her tattoos so as to prepare herself for future jobs. Keeping this in mind she plans to express herself creatively on many areas of her body.
She has faced some criticism for her tattoos, especially the one that is so visible. However, the negative feedback she has received has not made her change her mind about the decision to get tattoos. Colby holds steadfast in her choice to do so and even plans to get more in the future.
“I have a lot of plans for a lot of tattoos," she said. "Right now my biggest thing is which one do I want next.”