There was once a time when tattoos at Southern Nazarene University seemed taboo. Nowadays, tattoos on campus have become more and more common and popular. You may not be able to walk into a room without noticing at least one person with a tattoo. Olivia Wilson and Jamauri Johnson, the students I interviewed regarding their tattoos, are just a tiny portion of the tattooed student body here at SNU.
Tattoos are acquired for various reasons. The most popular reason is because of the different meanings they can carry. “All of them have significant meaning,” stated Wilson. Inspired by friends and family, all four of her tattoos hold a very special meaning to her and serve as a reminder of those meanings every day. One of Wilson’s tattoos, the “ride the wave” tattoo in particular, was given in memory of a close family friend. “I lost a family friend in April who had struggled with addiction throughout most of his adult life. He would always tell his kids to ‘ride the wave’ of addiction, and whenever things got hard, to not drown but to ride the wave.”
Like Wilson, Jamauri Johnson also got his tattoo in memory of a loved one. “I got this tattoo in loving memory of my father who passed away in March of 2020. As a kid, I would look up to my dad so [the tattoo] was to show people he would always be a part of me,” recalled Johnson.
The possibility of regret is very plausible when getting a permanent tattoo. However, both Wilson and Johnson are very proud of their tattoos. Because of their special meanings, they have no regrets or second thoughts towards them. “I don’t regret any of the tattoos I have gotten. I think that they are a reflection of who I am and my heart,” stated Wilson.
If you are considering getting a tattoo, take some good advice from Johnson and Wilson. “Think long and hard about what you’re getting because it is going to be there forever unless you want to spend more money getting it removed,” shared Johnson. Wilson also added, “The best advice I can give is to do research on the tattoo artist you are planning on going to. Cheap is not always better.”
Tattoos are becoming more prominent around campus, and the meanings behind them can hold astounding stories. Whenever you see someone with tattoos, take a second and ask the significance of them. You might just learn something new about someone you would never know before.
Photos by Maddy Hada