Interview With A Tattooed Girl

NDMU – One of the many rules in this institution: no tattoos allowed for students, this is really sad for some students—including myself—who always wanted to have a tattoo. We know this is a catholic institution that’s why we are prohibited, but there are really people who are brave enough to express themselves, and I am really proud of this girl I just interviewed who got four tattoos in her body.

“I was inspired, because I wanted to experience the pain of getting a tattoo.” Said the courageous girl, currently in her second year, taking up AB Psychology. “I actually liked tattoos even before but I think I got more obsessed with tattoos because of tumblr and weheartit and I think that those websites influenced me a bit.” I found out that she had accounts on these social media so we automatically exchanged urls. “Sometimes I feel like I’m a member of a punk-rock indie band because of it” referring to her tattoos, “when I get distracted, I just stare at my tattoos and then feel at ease.” This girl is really into hipster things and punk-rock. She dances, sings, and also she does photoshoot modelling here in Koronodal. She is always pertained to as hipster girl because of her style and personality. Currently, she has four tattoos: her anchor tattoo means “I am the captain of my soul and that no one has the power to control me but myself”; her heart tattoo means “love conquers everything”, “My infinity tattoo is placed on the side of my middle finger I wouldn’t tell because its bad” She whispered while showing it. “I’m still figuring out the meaning of my cross tattoo, though.” She laughed. She just had her tattoo last summer vacation somewhere in Manila and she said she did not and will never regret having a tattoo, “my tattoos are not just for the sake of art but because they have deeper meaning.” Her parents did not complain about her having a tattoo, and as far as she knows, no one felt bad for her, but there were concerned people who would ask, ‘how would you be able to go abroad or find a decent work?’ No one really said it to her face that they felt bad about her having tattoo, but she is aware that there are people who would surreptitiously judge her because of it, which annoys her. “Hey, you only live once!” she said jokingly, “but really, it’s my life, I do what I want to do with it” she said with head held high. “Because of my tattoos I gained friends—which is rad—because they were attracted to it for some reasons. They appreciate my perspective about art and symbols.” And as we slowly close the interview, she admitted “I am not that proud because I want more tattoos and at this point of my life it’s not something to be fully proud of because there’s more to life than tattoos.”