Tattoos are neither a smart nor foolish decision but rather an emotional and personal commitment as they are branded on someone for life. While tattoos are not permitted for anyone under the age of 18 in Georgia regardless of parental consent, some overage students and staff at Chamblee have meaningful designs.
“I have this tattoo on my collarbone that says ‘I am enough.’ I got it two weeks after I got out of an abusive relationship. I think that one means the most, but it’s not my favorite one,” said Brooke Arrington, an English teacher.
Arrington’s favorite tattoo is one she got while traveling, a tradition of hers.
“I have the Barbie logo on my arm. I got it before the movie came out. I got it in Texas, and I always get a tattoo when I travel. I think it is my favorite,” she said.
Tattoos can also serve as a permanent reminder of and honor a loved one.
“I have my grandmother’s initials and angel wings on my wrist, and the meaning is to always remember her. She was a really big part of my life, and part of the reason I love what I do is because of her. She’s been gone for almost 10 years now,” said Calandra Peyton, a family and consumer science teacher.
A tattoo does not necessarily have to hold a deep meaning as sometimes the experience and the appeal of the design are more important to the person getting the tattoo.
“I have two tattoos. One is my star sign because I am a Capricorn, and the other is one I did with my girlfriend. They are not matching, but we did it together for fun. I did them both myself,” said Henry Peters (‘24).
For some students and staff, deciding to get a tattoo was a quick and easy decision.
“My mom has six kids, so I have six as a roman numeral and a bird. The bird represents me. It took me five minutes to decide to get a tattoo, and it was on my birthday. My parents were okay with it,” said Osiris Wilson (‘26).
Staff members with a lot of tattoos have also become desensitized to the decision process.
“You could ask me to get a tattoo right now, and I’d say okay. I have so many that it does not feel like a big decision anymore. You do not have to do any convincing. If you just bring it up, I will most likely say yes,” said Arrington.
However, this apathetic attitude does not prevent regrets over her past tattoos.
“I have two regrets. I have one tattoo that I got in college because I was hazed by my sorority. It is not ugly, but I just wish I did not have it because I did not pick it. I also have one I regret on my ankle that was my very first tattoo. I got it when I was 17, and it is very small and ugly. I wish I had not gotten it,” said Arrington.
Peyton had a harder time deciding what tattoo design to get for her grandmother.
“It took me a couple of months to decide. I got it four months after she passed, and my sister and I had the idea to get it for a while. I don’t know how we decided, but we definitely went through some trial and error when it came to deciding on what to get,” she said.
Some Chamblee students and staff members are still planning for their first tattoo.
“My daughter has a couple of tattoos, so we were thinking of possibly getting one together. I am not exactly sure what it would look like, but something that would coincide with each other. Part of it would be mine, and part of it [would be] hers,” said Jennifer Andriano, another English teacher.
Brenne Dodson (‘25) is planning to get a tattoo on her spring break trip to Vienna, Italy, and she has a general idea of what she wants to get.
“I probably would get something animal-related, either my dog or horses in general because that is what I love. I would not tattoo any words right now because that is something I would regret later. If I got a Deftones tattoo, I know I would regret it, but I [will not regret it] if it is something I’ve loved thus far, like animals,” she said.
Deciding to get a tattoo and figuring out a design may be harder for younger people as they are more worried about regretting it in their futures.
“I am 53 years old, so there is no [worry] of what happens in 20 years if I get one if I do not like it,” said Andriano. “By that point, it is not going to matter much.”
