To start off, there is a wide range of opinions on tattoos. There are plenty of arguments for either side, both of which I have thought about for many years. Now, I am not going to great lengths to explain pros and cons of either side, rather I want to express my thought process on my first tattoo and what it means to me.

For many years I have thought about tattoos and the importance of their longevity. My mother always made sure that I knew that getting a tattoo meant having an image on my body for the rest of my life. Such an image needed to be very important to me, and it needed to be timeless. Now, my mother is very important to me, and she is my greatest supporter. To disappoint her would be one of my most colossal fears. While I know this sounds childish, I truly believe in honoring my parents. Even though this is my life, and my choices, I respect what my parents tell me, and I know they are far wiser than myself.

I struggled for quite a few days prior to getting my first tattoo, constantly thinking about what they rest of my life will be like with a tattoo in a pretty visible spot on my arm. I worried about my family's opinion. I did not want to make a mistake that I would have to see for the rest of my life. It seems silly and over thought, but I was taught of the significance of tattoos. To me, they should be important and something that will apply to my life forever. I applaud those who freely get whatever design/image/symbol on their body as an expression of themselves, but it is my own personal belief to get something that has the utmost of importance to me. I also consulted a few of my friends, most who thought I was putting too much thought into this process, but how can someone not think at great lengths about a permanent image being on their body?

I have also practiced in the art of Henna, so I have many, many years worth of Henna tattoos on various spots. After each one goes away, I feel like they did enable me to see which kinds of designs I could get permanently on my body, but they also left an ache for something that takes more commitment.

For many years, I have always come to the same few tattoo ideas. Of course, after telling my mother about my ideas, she never forgot to remind me that they will be on my body forever and that I should make sure that I really want it.

After about five years of thinking, and thinking, and thinking about my personal favorite symbols, I was offered a great opportunity. Got Ink caught my interest when I saw a post sponsored on Facebook (sometimes sketchy, I know, but hear me out). They were promoting free tattoos to survivors, to both veterans and those who have experienced suicide in their lives. Now I am not have not personally encountered either of those two myself really, but I knew this tattoo had meaning to me as well. I was a walk-in at a tattoo shop and was being "inked" about ten minutes later, shout out to Got Ink in Farmington! But I have a story, too, because my struggles matter just as much as the next person despite the magnitude difference. Yet I know that my life is important, along with everyone else's. Additionally, I know that could have ended at any step of the way from my birth until now, as could still happen at any moment until my inevitable death. Although a dreary way of thinking, it is our reality. I also believe every person deals with obstacles through life, some being enough to question the worth of our own lives. However, I know that I have had my share of hardships so far, but I know that I am one very strong person, too. I knew instantly, when looking at the add for the semicolon tattoo, that it was my opportunity to get something important marked on my body as a reminder for the rest of my life. No matter how dark the present day gets, or how hard I can smack rock bottom at some point, this life is worth living . My semicolon now reminds me every day that I need to keep pursuing life and to not give up when everything is going against me.

I have had many people in my life who have either tried to commit suicide or were successful in their actions and are no longer with us. I know the pain of mental illness and have witnessed it in more than a hundred lives just these past few semester at college.

I have dedicated an immense amount of time toward suicide awareness and prevention, along with general mental health awareness. (That is a story for another day, however.)

My suggestion for those struggling with the idea of getting a tattoo: Really do think about what you are getting on your body. It is your temple made specifically for you, but it is also a vessel that needs a lot of TLC. Do not let anyone pressure you into getting one (Mom, I was not pressured into doing this!), nor be nonchalant. At the same time, do not stress out about it either. It should be an experience that means a lot to you and is worth remembering for the rest of your life.

Fortunately, it is now about a week later from the day I got my ink, and I still love my tattoo. I do not regret my decision at all. It is a silent statement of my strength, endurance, resilience, and hope, that anyone can witness now without even speaking to me. I am a survivor of life's endless obstacles, and I choose every day to pursue life itself, making it the best it can be.

"Happy people do not have the best of everything, they make the best of everything they have."

Oh and here is a video about people getting tattoos to people getting tattoos to fight mental health stigmas mental health stigmas .