We all know that going off to college is more than a little terrifying at first. Such a big change in your life can lead to some interesting, and sometimes crazy, choices. For example, I know a girl that pierced her nipples, and a guy that shaved his head during their freshman year. Before I started my freshman year I got a matching tattoo of a smiley face with my best friend. Was it a good choice? Maybe. Do I regret it? Not yet, but we’ll see in another 20 years.
It’s been a year since then. I’ve gotten a second tattoo, and I’m hoping to get a third within the next few months. While I may not have the most experience in this field, I know a lot of people with tattoos, and I’ve seen many a pain chart on Google, so I feel like I know enough to educate you nice people on where the best places to get your first tattoo are, and the places you should probably avoid unless you have a high pain tolerance.
One place that is definitely a bad idea is your stomach; you have a lot of organs and nerve endings there. My second tattoo is right near my hip bone, and let me tell you, I almost passed out from the pain. It kind of felt like I was getting stabbed in the stomach/appendix area, and while I understand that thinking squishy tissue without a lot of bone is a good choice for a tattoo, you should do yourself a favor and avoid your stomach.
A good place might be your calf or bicep area. I don’t have any personal experience with those, but just about everyone I know who has gotten a tattoo has one either on their calf or their bicep. There’s little chance of hitting bone there, and your muscles may help with the pain (don’t take my word for it, I’m not entirely sure).
Another bad spot would be your hands or feet. There’s a lot of bone there, and if your tattoo is going over and around bones…well, that just sounds uncomfortable. My aunt got a tattoo of stars on her foot, and while it wasn’t a big tattoo by any means, she said it hurt more than giving birth, which tells you a lot.
This next one is probably a bit controversial. My first tattoo is behind my ear, and I know a lot of people with tattoos there. A lot of charts on Google will say that the head is a very painful place for a tattoo, and that may be true. However, my smiley face tattoo hardly hurt at all; the process reminded me of just being next to a really loud lawn mower, but it didn’t really hurt. I can’t speak for my tattoo buddy, but she didn’t seem to have a problem with it either. So, I think behind the ear is a pretty good choice for a tattoo; plus, behind the ear is a relatively small space if you don’t want a bigger tattoo.
This is not an advocacy for tattoos, but out of all the crazy choices you can make as a newly formed adult, I can think of many crazier choices. Remember, though, you should think through any tattoo you want– extensively– because it may be on your body for the rest of your life. Don’t be like Pete Davidson and get tattoos just because you feel like it, and then have to cover them up later (is it too soon to mention that?). Be safe and sane my wonderful people!