Finally, the day has come. You turn eighteen, leave for college and what is the first thing you want to waste your money on? If you’re like me, there’s one thing: tattoos. Call it teenage rebellion or defiance, but the amount of ink being etched into young people’s skin has increased. With the growing acceptance of tattoos as art, college students are flocking to tattoo shops to get their own. But before you make a decision that will last a lifetime, weigh out your options and take these few things into consideration:
1. Walk-ins are welcome (but not encouraged).
The lit up sign may say “Walk ins are welcome,” but that are not necessarily advised. It’s good to get to know your artist over a consultation prior to the actual appointment for a few reasons. Tattoo artists specialize in certain fields just like a painter or sculptor. You should try to find the artist that fits you. If an artist specializes in black and grey tattoos, but you want a colorful flower tattoo, maybe you two aren’t the best fit. If you personally would feel more comfortable with a woman tattooing you rather than a man, then don’t settle. It’s also best to let your artist take a few days to draw up your design, not a few minutes. In the long run it will pay off and waiting that extra week after the consultation will really help you mull over if this is really something you want.
2. Be Picky!
It’s your body! If you don’t like the design, say no. It’s okay, really. It’s your body and it’s your money, and if you don’t like it then ask the artist to draw it again. If they are professional, they will not mind at all. If it’s not what you want and you go through with it, you will regret it. You may want to be covered in ink one day, so think of what other tattoos you want to get down the line. Make sure the colors or the designs don’t clash too much. It’s beautiful when you can coordinate a design theme, like tribal, old school, or minimalist.
3. Placement is key.
Get creative. Placement is one of the most important things. Pay attention of how the tattoo will hug your body. Place a tattoo where it will accentuate your assets. Look at how your body curves and also think of how your body will grow as you age. If you want to give birth one day, understand how pregnancy could distort your tattoo. If you get a tattoo on inner lip, chances are it will probably fade in a month even you’re told it won’t for three years (I say this from personal experience).
4. Get whatever the hell you want.
If you want a butterfly on your thigh, get a butterfly on your thigh. Although tattoos can have a lot of meaning, they also don’t have to have any meaning at all. No one has the right to tell you what art you can get. Not your parents, not your significant other, not your friends, not even your boss.
The reoccurring theme here is that this is your body. You should make the decision that makes you happiest, because that’s what’s most important (with everything in life, not just tattoos).