Content Warning: This article contains mention of suicide.

Tattoos are a form of expression that never fades; it’s a piece of art that stays on your body forever. Some students and teachers have made the commitment and gotten tattoos, all with their own unique meanings and backgrounds.

Beatriz Alonzo (12) has multiple tattoos with a variety of designs: bees, hearts, and aliens. She believes that tattoos can reveal a lot about the person that has them.

Alonzo said tattoos can signify the challenges that someone has faced, and can also allow others to see what the person is into. 

Her favorite tattoos are the four stars she got on her pinky finger that represent her and her three sisters. 

“I just wanted to add all of my sisters because they’re always with me, even though they live in Chicago and I only have my sister Adriana here,” Alonzo said. 

Kiki Rosema (12) also has a tattoo that’s all about family, with her and her mother’s birth flowers tattooed on her stomach.

“My mom loves it. I think everyone I’ve showed it to thinks it’s really pretty,” Rosema said.

Tara Nieves, English department chair, said tattoos of names or initials can serve as a way to honor those most important to you. She has multiple name tattoos of meaningful people in her life.

“I think the one that’s most special to me is the one that has my kids’ names on it, but I also have one on my wrist of the name of a student who committed suicide. They meant the world to me, while they were here and after they were gone. I also have one of my husband’s name,” Nieves said.

According to Amira Patel (12), her tattoo helps her reflect on memories from her youth.

“When I was younger, everybody used to call me sunshine, so I figured it’s like a part of childhood I could keep with me,” Patel said. 

While tattoos are considered by some a positive form of personal expression, others take a more negative view.

Alonzo said that her family was originally heavily against the idea of tattoos, but has since become more open-minded.

“When I was little, actually, when I would get temporary tattoos, my dad would take me into the bathroom, get rubbing alcohol, and start scrubbing it off my skin. When I actually got the tattoos, though, my dad didn’t really mind,” Alonzo said. 

Patel’s family also had a similar reaction to her tattoo.

“My mom was really supportive, and my dad was surprised. Some people make disapproving faces, but I’ve honestly had so many positive reactions [to my tattoo],” Patel said.

Overall, Nieves said that she’s seen more tattoos in recent years as compared to the past, and also feels that they’ve become more accepted over time.

“I’ve been here for thirteen years, and I definitely think they’ve just become trendier and more popular,” said Nieves. 

Patel said she got her tattoo as soon as it was legal, right after her eighteenth birthday.

“I’ve wanted one for a really long time, and when I turned eighteen I could, so I got it as fast as possible,” Patel said.

Rosema also said that she had wanted one for a long time and got it a few days after her eighteenth birthday.

Tattoos can be a lifelong commitment, and Nieves has some advice for anyone considering getting one.

“When you’re thinking about getting one right when you turn eighteen, it will actually be with you for the rest of your life,” she said. “I’m always thinking about, I wonder what that will look like when they’re fifty-five. If you look at it not just as a picture, but as a piece of art, with its own meaning and special place, you’ll be happy with it,” Nieves said.