Think of the thing that means the most to you in your life. Some might think about their religion, their family, a sports team, music, or any number of things. Now does that thing mean enough to carry it around wherever you go forever?

It’s all dependent on who is asked. For some people just having a person or thing in your mind or heart is good enough, but for others, they want a visible representation.

Enter tattoos.

We have all had tattoos, maybe not permeate ones but we have all done the pull-offs and the face paint and the 25 cent ones out of machines. They were probably things we liked then, say maybe a tiger, batman, Colts logo, or even a flower.

These tattoos are fun, but they probably didn’t have a story behind them or a deeper meaning. But real tattoos can tell a story about the person wearing them. Some students here at Carroll have found things they are passionate enough about to ink on their bodies and they all have stories too.

Former editor-in-chief of our very own Charger Online, Hannah Harper, just recently decided to get a tattoo.

“I’m very big on caring for the work and the environment. I got my tattoo (the outline of our continents all connected by a single line) because I wanted to remind myself for the rest of my life to keep the same basic morals of caring for our earth, being a world citizen and accepting everyone no matter where they’re from,” said Hannah.

Tattoos are something that requires a lot of thought. Unlike a piercing or new shirt that can be taken off, when getting a tattoo, you must really like the thing you are inking yourself with.

“My parents were a bit hesitant about me getting it, as well as some of my friends at first,” said Hannah. “But I made sure that it was somewhere that could be seen if I wanted but hidden if I didn’t want people to know at the same time. Once my friends and family saw the design they all came on board.”

Some people do it to remember an event or a time in their life that they will never forget. Senior Belle Miller’s story has a connection to a memorable adventure in her life.

“My first one was super spontaneous, and my mom was the one who suggested it. I was in orange beach Alabama when I got that one,” said Belle. “My second one I didn’t know I wanted, but when I was in Thailand we kept making jokes about getting them and then one thing led to another and we decided it would be a good way to remember our trip, it’s the worship in Thai tatted on my forearm.”

Years from now it’s more likely that many of us will have tattoos, but it’s rarer to come around now when we are in high school, especially considering that many of us aren’t even allowed to get them without parental permission. But no matter how you look at it, tattoos are a way of expression.

“I would say make sure the tattoo has meaning to you and that you won’t regret it in a few years,” said Belle. “Honestly, just make sure it’s something that you will be happy looking at every day.”