When you make the decision to willingly put a hole through a part of your body, there are a few things that are naturally going to happen. I have experienced this first-hand several times and will probably continue to experience this as long as I live with my best friend, Devin.

I've never met someone who loves piercings as much as her and we have ended up *casually* getting new piercings together before and probably will again. And honestly, each experience pretty much consists of the same thoughts.

1. You find a new piercing idea that's crazy cute and decide you want it.

This usually happens after hours of browsing Instagram or Pinterest.

2. But you second-guess whether or not it will actually look good on you.

You just can't be sure that a piercing you saw on a perfectly posed and overly edited Instagram model is gonna work on you.

3. You end up deciding to get it anyways.

Life is short, might as well.

4. Even though you know your relatives are going to comment on it.

Half are going to adore it and half are going to wonder where they went wrong in raising you.

5. Then you go to a tattoo parlor that may or may not be slightly sketchy.

But you never go to Claire's. Claire's is where you go if you want your piercing to be crooked and/or oddly spaced.

6. Where the piercer will walk you through the process and the price.

And now two thoughts have crossed your mind - how bad is this going to hurt and am I really going to spend $50 to have a needle shoved through my skin?

7. Then you are in the chair and it is happening.

And, if you're like me, you're holding on to your friend's hand like you're in the civil war and you're about to have your leg cut off.

8. And then, within two seconds, it's all over.

It didn't even hurt that bad.

9. Looking in the mirror has now become a thousand times more fun.

You kind of become obsessed with staring at it.

10. But you have become a thousand times more anxious, trying to keep your piercing clean.

You started out so diligent but end up giving up within a month. Keep telling yourself it's healed, it really isn't.

11. So you end up freaking out whenever something looks abnormal.

Total panic as you rush back to the tattoo parlor and frantically show your piercer what you think is wrong. It's nothing.

12. You become more impatient than ever, already shopping for new jewelry to change it out.

It might be six months from now but you're counting down the days.

13. You're also counting down the days until the pain finally goes away.

Then you can stop ducking hugs and start sleeping like a normal person again.

14. You search for every opportunity to show your new piercing off.

Ponytails have become your new favorite hairstyle.

15. Because you love your new piercing and honestly can't wait to get another one.

And you start the whole process all over again.