For centuries, people have covered their bodies in tattoos. These markings were ceremonial or religious; they served decorative purposes or were used to mark criminals or outcasts. There have been mummified remains dating back to 3100 BC that show tattoos and other markings, providing evidence that this is not just a trend, but a part of history.

The year is 2019. 30% of all college graduates in the United States have tattoos. 36% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. It's hard to ignore the inked truth- tattoos are not going anywhere, so we should just accept them, right?

I currently have six tattoos on my body, some small, some big. My two sisters have at least 10 tattoos, combined, and my parents (my mom, stepdad, stepmom, and dad), have at least 20 tattoos among the four of them. We all have jobs, degrees, and are successful in our own ways.

When I got my first tattoo, I had just turned 18. I had had the idea in my mind for the longest time. I had drawn up the tattoo, double checked the dates, and met with my artist to get started. My parents stood by me while the artist chiseled away at my skin and bone, drilling into every nerve, shaking my rib cage until the adrenaline kicked in and I had no longer felt pain.

I was 18 then.

I'm 21 now and have the hardest time saying "no" to a new tattoo. Every time I think of a new piece and where I'm going to put it, I can hear my mother's voice saying, "you don't know where you're going to end up in life." And she's right. I don't know if I'll lose my job tomorrow and have to hunt down another job that will take me with visible tattoos.

But guess what? My tattoos don't define me or my life choices. I am free to grow and prosper and succeed, with or without ink on my body. The determining factor for my success is me. Nothing else will stop me from getting where I want to be, not my tattoos nor anyone's opinion of them.

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that my tattoos were permanent and I'd grow old with them, I'd have enough dollars to get a new tattoo. I'm well aware of the dumb things I'm marking my body with. I consented to the tattoos and drew up each design myself. Sure, they're not all grand, but they matter to me.

For every mom that I met that immediately said, "I don't like tattoos, they're trashy," and for every guy that I talked to that said they didn't like girls with tattoos, I pity you. Underneath the colorful ink, I'm the same person. Judge me for my personality and my morals, not the flowers and numbers that cover my body.

And to anyone that's considering a tattoo but is afraid of what people will say- screw them. Do it for you. It's your body, your canvas. Cover yourself in art, express yourself in ways that others wish they could.

I love my tattoos, I love my career, and I love defying anyone who says I'll never succeed with a visible tattoo.