It is fair to say that the opinions about societal norms, fashion trends, lifestyle choices, etc., vary generation to generation. For example, the baby boomers thrived on smoking cigarettes in a casual setting; generation x had the most iconic fashion and music statements of all time; now as millennials, we see tattoos and piercings galore on both genders everywhere we go. Beings that I, a millennial, have a fair share of piercings of my own and I do plan to get more piercings and eventually get a few tattoos in the future.

What I admire about tattoos and piercings the most is that they are a major self-esteem booster. When I was 15-years-old, I got my most extreme piercing, my belly button. To say the least, my mom was not ecstatic with my want for getting the piercing. With the persistence of asking for it and my dad finally convincing her by saying “it’s better than her asking for a tattoo,” I was able to get the piercing three days after my 15th birthday. Now here we are four years later with my 19th birthday right around the corner (it’s April 11th in case you were curious), my belly button has fully healed and to this day I am so happy with it.

I don’t know if you all would agree with me, but what I love most about my piercing is that it distracts from my other insecurities on my midriff. When I look at my belly ring or when I’m changing it, I’m not focusing on my stretch marks or love handles. Instead, I am admiring how fitting one minuscule piece of jewelry looks on my body. I feel this way about all of my current piercings; I will feel this way about my future piercings and tattoos, too.

Fun fact, you can even get piercings for medical purposes. There is one ear piercing called the daith (you can look up a diagram of ear piercings because the area of where the daith piercing is located because it is hard to explain in words); people typically get this piercing to relieve recurring migraines. So, not only is this piercing style trendy, bold, and fashionable, it also relieves excruciating pain, who knew!?

Your body is your canvas; you should have the freedom to decorate it however you desire. That’s why I fell in love with piercings and tattoos in the first place. I love that people have the free will to imprint something onto their bodies for reasons that range from just because they are appealing to the eye; they are memorials for someone or something, or they have a super personal backstory.

I have been thinking about getting a tattoo since I was 16, 17-years-old and I have put a lot of thought into what I want. That is why I have not gotten my first tattoo yet, but I do plan to get it in the near future and I know I will love this tattoo forever and always or I wouldn’t even dream about putting it onto my body. As to what I plan on getting, I guess you all will have to wait and see.