Getting a tattoo is a major life decision. It’s a life-long commitment like getting married or dyeing your hair neon green. Inking your skin is just like writing on the wall in permanent marker: it doesn’t wash off.
While some people decide to get tattoos with little to no meaning, others get a tattoo to represent the start of a new chapter in life. Unfortunately, if you’re stuck between starting that new chapter and having a severe fear of needles, it’s hard to bring the metaphorical pen to the page.
Plenty of famous models, actors and musicians have tattoos, and they make those tattoos look like the coolest thing since Heelys. But it’s important to remember one thing about these people with tattoos: they’re all in the entertainment business. So…where does that leave you if you don’t want to go into that business, but still want a tattoo?
Despite all of the different issues associated with getting a tattoo, I’ve made the executive decision (independent of my parents’ influence) to go through with it. This tattoo is going to have meaning to me both now and in the future. However, this doesn’t mean I didn’t go through the motions of stressing out about where to place it, or whether or not I would still love this tattoo twenty years down the line. After giving these two “stress points” a hefty amount of thought, this is the conclusion I came to.
First of all, if you are unsure about getting a tattoo– even when the opportunity to get one comes along–don’t do it. There’s nothing worse than regretting something that has a permanent effect. However, if you’re completely sure about getting a tattoo and you’re willing to commit to it (like most women are willing to commit to Ryan Gosling) I have some advice for you.
The first piece of advice would be to seriously think about where you want it to go. I would suggest getting a small one on a part of the body that could be easily covered up. Some body parts I recommend are the inside of your wrist, the nape of the neck, or anywhere on your back. I’ve decided to get my tattoo on the inside of my wrist because I can quickly cover it up by wearing a watch or a bracelet. I say this because personally, I don’t want my tattoo to be obnoxiously in someone’s face, especially in a professional setting. However, that is solely my suggestion with regards to the placement of a tattoo. If you are completely against that and want to get your tattoo smack in the middle of your forehead, then so be it! Who am I or anyone else to judge you and your decisions? It’s your life, my friend, do what you want!
My second, and most important, piece of advice would be to seriously consider what this tattoo means to you. On too many occasions, drunken people run into tattoo parlors and get the first thing they see in the design book inked onto their bodies. Unfortunately, that tattoo is easily regretted the next morning in a hung-over daze. Instead, give both your tattoo and its design serious consideration. Think about the significance of it. Is it the start of a new chapter in your life? Does it represent a lesson you’ve learned? Will the tattoo still have meaning to you later on down the line? These are only some of the questions that should go through your head when you finally decide that you want a tattoo. Make sure that it is something that you are willing to look at for the rest of your life. So instead of getting that cute little heart tattoo that all your tatted friends have, get something that not only has significance to you, but also represents you in the best way possible.
Hopefully my advice helps you decide to get that tattoo you’ve always wanted, or has narrowed down your options with regards to what kind of tattoo you want. And hell, if you still want that tiny heart tattoo that all your friends have, then go for it! It’s your body, and nobody can tell you what you can and cannot do with it. So in the words of Sara Bareilles: “I want to see you be brave!”
Image Credit: Cover Image, 1, 2, 3