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(Photo Courtesy of Erin Stroh)

“I got a 16-inch tattoo of a flower vine on the spine of my back because I thought it was cool. I plan on getting a lot more. I want to get a shoulder tattoo for my next one. I want to get an arm sleeve,” - Erin Stroh

People have many different ways of expressing themselves through fashion or getting their hair dyed. Others put holes in their body with piercings. Some take it a step further and get a tattoo. Senior Erin Stroh, juniors Karianna

Merriweather, and Jazmyn Thomas, and Social Science teacher Kirsten Hany all choose that last option. People such as Merriweather, Thomas, and Hany all got their tattoos in memory of the death of a loved one.

“I got my tattoo on my forearm in memory of my grandpa,” Thomas said. “It was a quote from my grandpa: ‘ Find light in the beautiful sea. I chose to be happy.’ It didn’t really hurt that bad, it kind of felt like a cat scratch. It cost about $250. My next tattoo (I) would want a meaningful one of my mom on my other forearm.”

Merriweather got her tattoo in memory of her cousin, and she is planning to get more tattoos in honor of her family or something that is very important to her.

“I got a tattoo on my forearm. It’s the date of my cousin’s passing. It did not hurt as bad and it didn’t really feel like anything. I get tattoos based on something that happens in my life or something that can impact me and not something random,” Merriweather said. “My next tattoo, I want on my other forearm, leg and maybe ribcage. I am planning on getting matching tattoos with my siblings.”

Hany was always close to her brother. Once he passed, she wanted to get a tattoo in memory of him. They both

shared a personal faith with Jesus and wanted to always be with each other.

“I got my tattoo on my right forearm. It’s the Hebrew word for Yoshua (YOW-SHUWAH) which comes from the modern name for Joshua,” Hany said. “But Yoshua contributed towards salvation, Jesus and faith. Joshua died seven years ago and we shared a personal faith with each other.”

Hany said there are some important guidelines to think about when deciding to get a tattoo.

“Think about this: In five years would this tattoo still be relevant and still be something that is important to me?” Hany said.

Stroh had a different motivation for getting a tattoo. She always wanted a tattoo but just didn’t know what she wanted until she thought of the perfect idea.

“I got a 16-inch tattoo of a flower vine on the spine of my back because I thought it was cool. I plan on getting a lot more. I want to get a shoulder tattoo for my next one. I want to get an arm sleeve,” Stroh said. “I do not regret getting a tattoo, but I regret spending $500 on a single tattoo. It only took about two and a half hours. It was a super weird feeling but it didn’t hurt me.”

Stroh also had this advice to give when choosing whether to get the ink: “Suck it up and go get a tattoo. You only live once. Go get a tattoo.”