I was apprehensive about my first tattoo. Despite both of my parents having tattoos, they had always told me not to get one. "Pierce whatever you want, just don't get a tattoo," my mom had always said to me. But I became more and more interested in having one done. I loved some of the beautiful designs I saw online.

I don't exactly remember what spurred me to get the first one: a crescent moon on my foot. One evening I was hanging out with some friends in my dorm. One was planning to get a second tattoo that evening and she encouraged me to join her. I had a design saved on my phone for some time and I decided to go for it. I remember feeling excited and anxious. I was worried the process would hurt.

We went to the same shop she had gotten her first tattoo from. The artist was really nice and helped me feel relaxed. There was a picture of a pug displayed on the wall and the artist and I talked about our love for the breed. Getting the tattoo didn't hurt as much as I expected. It definitely was a new feeling but nothing that I couldn't handle. When I left the shop, I felt happy about the experience and with my tattoo.

A lot of people asked me what the crescent moon on my foot meant. They would ask what the deeper meaning of it was for me. While I have several reasons for why I love the moon and what different things it represents, I didn't feel like there was an answer. To appease others, I wrote down a list of all the reasons I loved the moon. Then I realized, it wasn't necessary to explain this to everyone. My tattoo makes me happy and reminds me of some things in life that inspire me. I don't feel the need to justify it to everyone who asks.

I have added three more tattoos since my first one. I added a sun to my other foot and out of all of my tattoos, it is my favorite. I also have a tattoo of a pink lotus on the back of my shoulder. While it holds certain meanings for me, I also love it because of the colors and the memories that I associate with it.

I am preparing to get my fifth tattoo in just a few days. I am already being asked by others what the meaning is for me. Yes, the tattoo design represents certain aspects of my life and my interests. But I don't think that it is necessary to assign deeper meaning to every single tattoo.

Drop the idea that you need some deep philosophical meaning behind every single tattoo. If you got a tattoo because it's aesthetically pleasing and for no other reason, then good for you.