This might be an unpopular opinion with many millennials, but for the longest time I really didn't get the point of tattoos. I thought, why would people ruin their beautiful skin by covering it with ink like that? They will probably regret it in a few years. I didn't like tattoos, that is, until I decided to get one myself.

On Christmas Eve during my freshman year of college, I was listening to my sisters talk about us getting matching tattoos when my little sister turns 18 for the hundredth time. I never told them that I really didn't want one because a. we don't really get along and b. I just really didn't want one. However, for the first time the thought of me permanently putting ink in my skin didn't sound like such a bad idea. I, like any girl in my situation, began to Pinterest. I knew I wanted one that meant something but I had no idea what. Finally, I decided on one. I wanted a butterfly. But not just any butterfly, one that really represented me.

A butterfly is a very basic, white girl tattoo. Unless it has meaning, which mine does. For me, a butterfly represents change and difficult times that transform a person. However, once it finds the strength to break out of its cocoon, a butterfly is free. Free to fly anywhere and everywhere. After high school, I finally felt like I was able to be free. There was nothing for me in the safety nets called home. I found the strength to fly. I texted my boyfriend at the time telling him my plan and asked if he had any ideas on what I should do. He was very supportive and sent me pictures of ones he liked that matched what I wanted. When I saw it, I knew. The butterfly is so simple, but so beautiful and complicated all at the same time. It takes thought to come up with this design. The butterfly is only 3 lines, but those 3 lines are exactly what I wanted to represent me and my freedom.