The first time I can remember seeing a tattoo, my family friend showed me a tattoo she had of a fairy across her entire lower back. That was the day I knew that one day, I would get at least one tattoo. I was 10 years old. My 10-year-old self, saw the beauty and the meaning behind a tattoo, but older generations still do not understand why so many younger people, especially millennials, are so into tattoos. There are plenty of tattoo movements trying to make the point that people with tattoos are helping you in your life every single day, but due to clothes covering them up, you have no idea. The point trying to be made is that you should not judge people by the ink on their skin because it does not define them as a person. My goal is to bring this movement down to the millennials whose parents and older family members are against them getting tattoos. I want to show people who find tattoos to be a “disgrace” or “disgusting” that tattoos actually are quite beautiful. I have never met someone who got a tattoo “just because” without having a deeper meaning. Tattoos are a form of expression and remembrance. It is my goal to help college students and young adults alike express their reasoning for getting tattoos and show older generations how special tattoos truly are.

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1. Hunter's story

“It's the symbol for depression/mental health/suicide awareness. Depression is something I have battled my entire life. I was going through a really rough time so I got it on my wrist where my pulse is as a reminder that this isn't the end. If my pulse is no longer there, then I am not alive. It's just a good reminder to myself to keep pushing even when times get hard.” – Hunter

2. Emily's story

“For the last two years I've been fighting a very private battle with depression. There are good days, there are bad days. There are small waves and there are tsunamis. Depression is like a wave: you can let it consume you, you can struggle so much you give up or you can go beneath your surface and spend the time learning how to be strong in order to get through it.” – Emily

3. Sara's story

“Since my first month living in London, whenever I would get upset I would go down to the south bank of the River Thames where City Hall was and would stare out to the river. To my right was Tower Bridge, and to the left were the sights of the city of London, old and new joined together so beautifully. Anytime I felt depressed or homesick I would go there to remind myself that I lived in London, and I needed to soak this all in while I could. And now I have the coordinates of that location on my arm, so even though I can’t go there when I’m sad anymore, I can look at my wrist and always have it be a part of me.” – Sara

4. Sydon's story

“As a kid growing up, Spider-Man was my absolute favorite superhero and I hated my first name, so I liked to identify with my last name, which is Parker. My first words in my college essay were, "With great power comes great responsibility.”” – Sydon

5. Mallory's story

“I got this tattoo of my mom, dad, and brother's "I love you" they all wrote me in their handwriting on my ribs. They all mean so much to me, and I feel as though it was super important to me to get a piece of them somewhere close to my heart so I know they are always near no matter how far away.” – Mallory

6. Ryan's story

“I got this tattoo for my grandma after she passed. I'm part Japanese (my grandma was full), hence the Empire of Japan flag. Grandma would tell me about how our ancestors were samurai, and as a little kid I wanted nothing more than to be like our ancestors, so I would dress up in our family's kimono and play with the katana that has been passed down for generations. The clouds around the samurai represent my grandma being in heaven.” – Ryan

7. Lea's story

“Behind my ear, I have the adoption symbol. I was adopted and my mom was just a blessing. How she raised me with constant reassurance, love and confidence is how every adopted kid should feel. She's the major impact on who I am today and has really made me proud I was adopted.” – Lea

8. Gabi's story

"I got this tattoo for a band called The Wonder Years! They have been one of my favorite bands since I was 13. They have had such an impact on my life. Helping me with my depression and always staying positive and that I will always put up a fight." - Gabi

9. Hailey's story

"I have a tattoo on my wrist that I got to cover my scar. My parents were totally against me getting a tattoo, but it always meant so much to me to get it covered so that I could move on from that part of my life and start something new. I got the outline of Tennessee for where I'm from and a heart over Nashville because that's where I truly call home." - Hailey

10. Alexis' story

"I cut myself for three years to deal with my mental health issues. I got this tattoo on my 18th birthday to remind myself that my body is too precious to continue mutilating it. #autismawareness" – Alexis

11. Natalie's story

"Growing up, there were dragonflies all over my house. My mom is obsessed with them for some reason. Knowing that I was leaving home and I would be away from my mom for six months was tough, so I wanted to have a little something to remind me that she's always there no matter how far away from one another we might be. " -Natalie

12. Emily's story

"This is my knuckle puck tattoo. It's my favorite lyrics from one of my favorite bands, and it reminds me that we've all grown from something so small and that we have the ability to grow and stay strong over time no matter what happens." - Emily

13. Erica's story

"Much like an evergreen tree, I find myself constantly having to give it my all to stay strong as each season passes. Here is a reminder for myself, that not only have I remained the strongest to my full potential these past few years, but also in the future to never let go of my strength, to never give up, and to never shy down from my true self. No matter what is changing around me." - Erica

14. Kirstin's story

"All my life I have tied myself to things. Things that haven't been good for me. I've been a slave to myself, to my flesh, to my sin. I was in bondage. In the moment, I thought I was free, but now I see that I was the opposite. Galatians 5:1 says "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." I am now set free by the one who gives ultimate freedom! I am no longer chained to this world." - Kirstin

15. Ryan's story

"I really love this quote and this tattoo helped me to stop self-harming." - Ryan

16. Emily's story

"I got this tattoo to remind myself that there's always more out there and always more to see and that I'm not just stuck in one place. No matter what, adventure is out there. " - Emily

17. Sarah's story

"My tattoo is a constant reminder of my mother's love for me. My whole life she has always been my best friend and gone above and beyond for me. About a year and a half ago my mom was in a really bad car accident. She was hit by two semi trucks, and it is a true miracle she is alive. I realized that I wanted something from her with me always, and I wanted her to be able to share the experience of me getting the tattoo for her. When she was healthy enough, we went to the tattoo shop together, and I had the artist tattoo a passage she wrote to me on my 18th birthday that I have always cherished. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I love knowing that no matter where I go or what happens from here I will have a piece of my mom on me forever. " - Sarah

18. Stefanie's story

"As an individual living with severe Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the overwhelming urge to be complete, content and perfect has dominated much of my life and mental space. Chuck Palahniuk's novel 'Fight Club' (where this quote comes from) struck me hard as a declaration of freedom from the weights of my intrusive thoughts and mental pain. May I never be complete, and always continue searching for knowledge, truth and differing perspectives. May I never be content and accept what seems to be reality, settle for less, or stop fighting for what lies beyond what I have or believe now. And may I never be perfect, or regard myself as so. There is no such classification. Human beings are messy, nebulous mixtures of failure and success -- and may I never lose sight of how the depths of my illness and life have brought me to the very place I am now -- filled with gratitude, regret, and a whole spectrum of emotions that I am privileged to know and experience" - Stefanie

19. Sania's story

"Getting the word 'invincible' tattooed on me at 18 meant being a hoodrat kid who just wanted to be cool and reckless. While I've still got hood-rat characteristics at 20, this tattoo now means that I am invincible because I am energy, which can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed." -Sania

20. Keegan's story

"I really like history, which is why everything is very historic and ancient looking. I've always been a fan of boats and pirates, which is another reason for the theme and then each piece in the tattoo has a different meaning." - Keegan

21. Alex's story

"The meaning for my full sleeve is love, and it's based on a French poem from Charles Baudelaire. It was based on the travels of a man and woman going through an adventure around the world. My ribs are about sleeping because I struggled to go bed and the music helped soothe me and I would always stare at the album and it would help me fall asleep. My frontal is based on the will of power of another and how you can overcome a fight even with the toughest of foes." - Alex

22. Cody's story

"I got this one for my best friend, Dylan, who passed away when I was 15. The first song he ever showed me was 'I Miss You' off of a self-titled album. Also Blink-182 is my favorite band of all time so (it was) kind of hard to turn down getting a tattoo for them. " - Cody

23. Becky's story

"I got this tattoo for several reasons. For one, this is a quote by 'The Maine,' a band who has made a huge impact in my life. Second, I went far from home for college and I took that step by myself. I also love to travel and will probably do that on my own at some point in my life. This is a reminder that no matter where I go in life, I will always remember those who are back home 'waiting' for me." - Becky

24. Liz's story

"This tattoo is of an anchor with New Jersey around it (made of rope). It's cliche but I have it because I keep moving further and further from home. It reminds me that Jersey will always be my anchor and a place to come home to" - Liz