Tattoos are something that some people can legally get when they turn 18.
The tattoo can either be something meaningful, cool, or something they had to get because they lost a bet.
Tattoos can range from different prices ($80 to $1,000-plus) based on the time it took to get the tattoo, how hard and detailed the tattoo is, or even just based on the person doing the tattoo.
I interviewed 2 students – Grant Van Wassenhoven and Conor O’Donnell. Grant is a senior who has 3 tattoos, and Conor is a sophomore who is looking to get tattoos when he turns 18.
GRANT
Q: What made you want to get tattoos?
A: I honestly think they are kind of cool. When I see old guys with tattoos, I think, “You’re kind of pimp.” Since I have nothing else to spend my money on, I might as well cover myself in meaningless art.
Q: So there is no meaning behind any of your tattoos?
A: Some of them, like the trout on my leg, are for my grandpa. The eagle on my arm doesn’t mean anything, and neither does the barbed wire on my knee.
Q: Not all tattoos have to have meaning behind them. Some people think that it’s useless to get tattoos that don’t mean anything because then you are just wasting your money and time. Are you going to get any more tattoos?
A: I should finish my sleeve by Christmas. I want to be covered when I turn 40.
Q: Do your tattoos cost a lot?
A: The fish on my leg was like $400, and the eagle was like $700, but I also go to the most expensive guy because he does it correctly.
Q: So a higher price is better?
A: I don’t know. Higher prices make me mad, but then I think it’s going to be on my body for the rest of my life, so I might as well pay a high price.
CONOR
Q: It all depends on how well you want it to look if you should pay more to make it look better or pay less and have to look bad. Are you going to get tattoos when you turn 18?
A: I’m probably going to get a couple of them – one on my shoulder for the American flag and a cross on my back.
Q: Are you just planning on getting those two?
A: Instead of the cross being on my back, I might get it on my heart with a saying on it.
Q: Are you going to get any tattoos for your parents?
A: I’ll probably get the O’Donnell insignia.
