I got my first tattoo at the ripe age of 19 while on spring break in California with two of my best friends. I woke up one morning and decided it was the perfect day to finally go through with it--why not make the most of a perfect vacation? We did a quick Google search to find the nearest tattoo shop and after a quick morning dip in the ocean, we were on our way. My hair was still damp as I walked out of that tattoo shop, and I could not for the life of me wipe the smile off my face.

I used to be embarrassed to start my story that way. I could see the judgement in adult eyes as they ran through all of the scenarios in which a teenage girl would, "spoil her canvas of a body" and all of that other taboo nonsense that blinds them. Once I got to the part of the story where I explained that this was not some random, immature, impulsive decision, I could see a wave of relief pass over them as if it was acceptable to get a tattoo only if I had truly been planning this permanent mark on my body for years.

I've spoken with many adults about the rising popularity of our generation's tattoo obsession. Some are on board--they agree that it is a special way to show self-expression, while others are uncomfortable from the start. They believe that our body is a blank canvas for a reason and adding graphics to it on a whim is moronic. "You're going to regret that down the road," is a phrase I am all too familiar with.

After watching a handful of people go through the cycle of astonishment and relief, I really started to dial it back on proudly revealing my tattoo. I started to believe that maybe it should be more of a private part of who I am, and that it was something only to be shared with people I trusted and cared about. I am ashamed now how embarrassed I was of something that had once made me so happy, simply because I was worried about what others thought of me.

Since then I have gotten two more tattoos and I don't plan on stopping any time soon. In a world with so much negativity and suppression I applaud anyone who finds a means of self-expression that is special to them; tattoos are mine. I don't see myself with a full sleeve of tattoos in the future (kudos to those of you who do), but I plan on continuing my tradition of getting small tattoos sporadically on my body that are there to remind me of all the little things that have made me who I am today.

Tattoos have been around since the beginning of time, and today 36% of people aged 18-25 have at least one tattoo, and I think that is pretty exciting. In the past, tattoos were the stereotypical sailor, prison inmate, or Navy SEAL way of expressing their strength or dominance. It's 2016 now and tattoos are a popular form of self-expression.

Whether you want your grandma's handwriting from the last birthday card she sent or a cartoon version of the best hamburger you've ever had, there are infinite ways you can literally wear your heart on your sleeve (if you so choose).