As a small child, I was infatuated with the men and woman who had pictures on their arms. They weren’t cut out and pasted on them. You couldn’t feel the crayon marks on their skin. That must have been because it was actually a “very sharp pen that cost a lot of money”. As I got older and people started to tell me the truth about things, tattoos only caught my interest even more. The fact that people would put themselves through pain, spend a paycheck or two to do it, and go back for more was something that I couldn’t bring myself to imagine. Of course, I was given the spiel by my mother that tattoos are painful, expensive, forever, I won’t be able to get a job if I had any, blah blah blah. That didn’t stop me. When I was of age to get tattoos, I got one on my chest and as of this article, I proudly display 8 tattoos with another 5 on my to-get list. In that time, I’ve had a few happenings and life lessons that I think are important enough to share with those still on the fence about getting ink.

1. It doesn’t hurt as bad as they say.

Or at least I wouldn’t describe it as pain. However, it IS highly uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want to feel the sensation of a tattoo needle all day every day. My session in the shop is long enough. Speaking of which…

2. Go to a professional shop.

I cannot stress this enough. I don’t care if you have a friend that knows and swears by a guy/girl that (s)he’s good. Even if you see that person’s work, go to a shop. My first tattoo has a few bad lines in it, but all the people I talked to said he was the guy to see. Now I have a sloppy, inked scar on me that I’m going to have my professional tattoo artist fix one day.

3. Weigh your options.

With the present-day popularity of tattoos, there are probably several tattoo shops in your town. Stop by all of them. Go in and show them your design and ask them to price it. Or, if they don’t charge by piece, ask what their rate is. While there might not be a huge difference in prices, you may be happy that you didn’t have to spend that extra $50. If you do choose the more expensive store, make sure they are worth the money. Another thought to keep in mind is the common rule of “you get what you pay for.” The higher the price should mean a better looking piece.

4. The tattoo

If you’re one of those people that want a tattoo but don’t know what to get, think back to your childhood; your teenage years. Was there a quote or an image that has helped shape you into you? I’ll use myself as an example: When I was 16, I found a picture of a Sankofa, a Ghanaian adinkra symbol that emphasizes learning from the past. Since I wasn’t too proud of the type of kid I was, I clung to this symbol to help me be a better person. So I chose the Sankofa to be my first tattoo. After that, I decided that I want all of my tattoos to tell a story; either personal ones or ones that I hold dear and feel the need to share.

5. It’s your body. It’s your call.

Some people, mostly parents, will do everything in their power to dissuade you from getting a tattoo. They might give you the talk I mentioned earlier about it being forever and painful. It is fine, even recommended, to listen to them and value their input, but you are 18 at this point and it is, in the end, your decision to go through with it or not. Tattoos are merely an optional adult responsibility.

6. Remember your career.

I just told you that it is your choice, overall, to get a tattoo, but I urge you to think about how that will impact your current or future employment. Times and work polices are changing. I’ve seen more and more places allow a reasonable amount of body modifications like tattoos, piercings, and colored hair. These are still not accepted in every occupation. I work at a restaurant and on days I serve, I am required to wear long sleeves; something I knew and expected I would have to do as I continued to get more tattoos. Get as many tattoos as you can afford to get, but I advise that you get them in places that you can easily cover up.

7. Seriously, go to a shop.

I know I can’t stress it enough, but I’m certainly going to try.

8. Not every tattoo needs to have a special meaning.

It definitely helps justify your tattoo to those people who told you “no”, but you don’t need to have the ghost of Plato approve your ink. I have a lightning bug on my to-get list. Even though they make me think of the innocence of youth, I don’t have some deep feeling about them. I just think they’re cool because they’re seasonal and their butts glow.

9. Embrace it.

Embrace the stares. Embrace the rude and curious comments. Most importantly, embrace yourself. Modern tattoos are about self-expression and self-empowerment. So express! Be powerful! Grace the world with an artistic concept that they might not have thought of. We may have gotten tattoos for our own personal reasons. Whether that be for the experience, a deceased loved one, a reminder, or, in my case, to become a library of stories, but they are all still worth sharing with everyone.