I first got my ears pierced when I was eight years old, and I didn’t really think anything of it. I liked how they looked, but years went on without even thinking of getting other piercings. In high school, I got my second holes pierced, then my third. I realized that I really liked getting my ears pierced.

I think I like getting ear piercings because it’s somewhat altering your appearance in a minimal way that isn’t permanent. It also is a way of accessorizing. You can pick a different color earring or style to go with an outfit. You also don’t have to worry about changing it if you don’t want to.

For example, three of my earrings I can’t take out by myself, I have to to a professional to get it taken out.

I, later on, got two cartilage piercings about two years ago. I didn’t really think about getting another piercing again. But this summer, I was overseas and we walked by a piercing place and my friend told me she wanted her industrial in her ear pierced.

We walked back to our apartment, and a few weeks later I thought that I wanted a new piercing too. I told this to my friend and she said, "OK, let’s go to the piercing place."

We arrived at a clean and professional piercing place, and I couldn’t decide where on my ear I wanted a new piercing. It took me 20 minutes looking in the mirror, and I finally decided I wanted the rook on my right ear pierced.

I now have eight ear piercings, and I was so excited. I remembered how thrilling it felt to get a new ear piercing. I had missed this feeling for the past two years.

After I looked in the mirror and saw my new piercing, I absolutely loved it.