Tattoos have been around for more than 5,000 years and are a sign of self- expression, symbolism, or serve as a visual reminder of something important in your life, and LSHS students have so much to share about their tattoos.
For a while, getting a tattoo at a young age has been seen as a bad thing and irresponsible, but as time passes, getting tattoos has become more acceptable for young people. Students at LSHS share their tattoos and their special meanings.
People with names or symbols tattooed on them often get to remember an important person in their life, such as a loved one, a close friend, or someone who has passed away, serving as a permanent reminder of them.
“I have one tattoo on my upper arm, and it’s my nickname my grandpa gave me, and it’s in his handwriting,” senior Tilda Nalum said.
People with animal tattoos can have special meanings as well. Animals like the lion can represent pride and confidence, but something like a dragonfly represents love and the existence of a passed loved one.
“I have a tattoo of a dragonfly to honor my dad. I read this article about how they are believed to represent love and the existence of a passed loved one, and I thought that was so beautiful and decided to get it tattooed in honor of my dad,” senior Miley O’Connell said.
She also has a tattoo to honor her dad, a state trooper.
“The other tattoo is my dad’s badge number. He passed away while being a state trooper, and I wanted to somehow honor that too,” O’Connell said.
Memorial tattoos like O’Connell’s and Nalum’s have become a powerful way to carry their loved ones with them.
However, other students get tattoos to express themselves through art or for aesthetic reasons, and choose designs that are simply visually appealing.
“I only have one tattoo. It’s on my left shoulder, and it’s three lilies connected. I got it because I had been wanting a tattoo for a few years now, and lilies are my favorite flower,” senior Riley Gibson said.
Tattoos can represent many different meanings to different people, like remembering a loved one, representing something, or for aesthetic reasons. It’s important to understand people’s tattoos and get a deeper connection with students at LSHS.
