My two older sisters, Mackenzie and Cassie, got their first tattoos in 2014 and 2018. They were each around 18 years old at the time, and my parents never cared to stop them. Since I was 10 years old, I have watched Mackenzie and Cassie come home with new tattoos, so it’s only natural for me, as the youngest sister, to follow in their footsteps.
For my 22nd birthday this past weekend, I decided to treat myself to my sixth tattoo. Sometimes it feels crazy to say that I have six tattoos. I’ve seen plenty of content online labeling tattoos as masculine or unprofessional. I find those narratives to be dated. I know tattoos aren’t everyone’s taste, but I argue that they are art for the body.
I love all of my tattoos — they tell a simple story about my life, and they bring me joy every time I see them. Since making the latest addition to my collection, I have been reflecting on the tattoos already on my body. I have never been someone who believes all tattoos need an elaborate backstory full of symbolism, and I have always said that liking the design is reason enough to get the tattoo you’re itching for. That is kind of what happened when I got my first one…
When I was a senior in high school, I knew I wanted to start getting tattoos. I was newly 18, so I no longer needed my parents’ permission. I wanted something quickly because I had a strange feeling that if I waited (even just a year), I would never end up pulling the trigger and actually getting a tattoo. So, in February of 2023, I got my first tattoo!
It’s a contour drawing of a sun and moon on my outer upper left thigh. I went to Providence Tattoo in Providence, RI, and it was lovely — very clean and reasonably priced. I was extremely happy with the end result. Since my junior year art class, I have loved contour drawing, so it felt fitting. Growing up, my dad always encouraged us to look at the sky — watch the stars and moon at night, and admire the sun in the daytime. I have always felt a connection with the sun and moon. As a lover of all celestial art, this felt like an obvious choice for my first tattoo.
Fast forward about a year, and I returned to Providence Tattoo in January of 2024. I was on winter break during my freshman year of college. I had moved away from home for school, so I wanted to get something to signify my home state of Rhode Island. We are the Ocean State, so naturally, I got a whale shark “swimming” around my left knee. Again, I was very happy with the end result.
I have always loved sharks. When I was 10 years old, my mom didn’t want me to watch Soul Surfer — a biographical sports film about surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack in Hawaii — because she thought I would be afraid to swim after seeing it. In rebuttal, I wrote her a persuasive essay on why I should be allowed to watch the movie. I researched all types of sharks and have loved them ever since. Whale sharks specifically are known to be gentle giants, which I find to be an inspiring way to live life.
A few months later, in November of 2024, I had to get another piece to represent the state I chose for university — my dear Green Mountain State, Vermont. I went back to Providence Tattoo for a mountainscape just above my left knee. I love the placement of this one, and I left the parlor with a big smile on my face.
About a year later, I got my fourth tattoo — this time at Yankee Tattoo in Burlington, VT. This was my most spontaneous tattoo. They are not kidding when they say that you’ll get addicted after one tattoo… I think I was just in the mood for something new. I asked my artist for dragonflies with a whimsical touch. Dragonflies are known to symbolize transformation and personal growth, and mine came out great! Now I have two dragonflies on my right shin. They get the most compliments from the members of the YMCA, where I am a lifeguard. Funny, because it’s probably my least favorite tattoo of my own.
But that’s okay, because next we have my absolute favorite tattoo. Less than a year later, I got my beloved lotus on my left ankle. In the time between the two tattoos, I traveled to Morocco on my own, studied there for four months, went through a breakup, and traveled the world with my best friends. These experiences helped me grow more than I ever had before.
Morocco slowly became a place that I hold very dearly to my heart, and I deeply wanted a tattoo in my new favorite country. A lotus on my ankle is my hippie way of staying grounded. I got this piece done in a local cafe near my university in Ifrane, Morocco! It was my first tattoo done by a woman — Hani, the owner of the cafe, who is a jack-of-all-trades. She did an amazing job, and I think of my life-changing experience in Morocco every time I see the tattoo!
And to top it all off, my most recent tattoo is a spiral on my back. For me, the spiral signifies a constant journey inward. It can represent personal development or the continuous journey to find peace. It also has beautiful connections to nature (in shells, plants, galaxies, and more), which, to me, makes it that much more meaningful and connects me to our Mother Earth.
My spiral has groovy lines coming out and down, making it look like a sun reflecting on water, which feels representative of this past summer. It was my first summer living on my own in Burlington, and it was full of joy, sunshine, and swimming! My artist, Rhea (Tattoos by Rhea in Burlington), absolutely killed it. It came out just as I wanted it, and I left her studio beaming!
I am lucky to say I love all my tattoos. I have never regretted any of them, and I see each one as representative of a small part of me. I know what they say: “Would you put a bumper sticker on a Bentley?” But I do not care. I don’t drive a Bentley, but even if I did, I would probably cover it in stickers and crystals like my current car… I love adding art and personality to everyday life, so why wouldn’t I decorate my body as I please!?