Knights with tattoos

Cordis recollects the circumstances of his impromptu tattoo on his forearm. I was with my friends. They all had one. I might as well add one to the list.

Cordis recollects the circumstances of his impromptu tattoo on his forearm. “I was with my friends. They all had one. I might as well add one to the list.”

Ashley Cumpston and Peighton Walsh
December 21, 2021

     Some students keep journals, some students draw in sketchbooks, some students change their style, and some students have tattoos to express themselves. Whether they choose to remember a passed loved one, show-off their art, or keep a valuable memory, some students show it in the form of tattoos. Tattoos are becoming a popular way for people to express themselves and our Knights are talking about their experiences.

     A handful of Norwin High School students with tattoos are sharing their stories behind their permanent art and what prompted them to get inked.

Sinchar wanted to remember her father with a depiction of his lifetime. “I wanted his dates, when he was born and when he passed away, to just show how much life that he lived,” said Sinchar.

 “I look at my tattoo and think of my dad’s last heartbeat because I have the little heartbeat monitor line,” said senior Makenna Sinchar. “I look at it and think of our past and how there was a long period of time where he and I didn’t talk and then all of a sudden, I found out that he passed away, so it was hard.”

     Sinchar’s tattoo, like many, is a remembrance for a deceased loved one. Expressing her feelings about her dad through a tattoo was important for her because tattoos are permanent.

     “I know people get jewelry or something, but a tattoo just lasts forever,” said Sinchar.  “I got it in this specific place [chest] because it’s closest to my heart. I just wanted to remember him in the best way I could.” 

     The deceased and remarkable events shape people into who they are. Tattoos can be used for people to remember loved ones or a significant time in one’s life.

     “When I look at my tattoo, I think of the summer that I had and my friends,” said senior Brianna Novak. “I think of who I’m grateful for.” 

Novak describes the process of getting her impromptu tattoo, located on her ankle. “My friend is a beginner tattoo artist and I’ve always wanted a lot of tattoos, so I let her practice on me,” said Novak. “I didn’t want anything in particular, we came up with a random eye design on the spot, it was very spontaneous.”

     Each person has their own meaning that their tattoo showcases. Some tattoos express a specific style rather than a symbol. Many pop-culture tattoos feature bands, patterns, or cultural ideograms as a way to remember trends and traditions. 

     “It’s just a Nirvana Tribute and I wanted it to look rough on purpose because I am very rough around the edges,” said junior Tommy Cordis. “I was 15 at the time; I just wanted a tattoo and nothing was going to stop me from getting one.” 

     “My tattoo is a picture of a snake and flowers,” said senior Elana Smiley. “The idea behind it is a snake and when it sheds its skin. It represents growth, change and transformation. The flowers also represent growth and change in life.”

     Styles can change over periods of time which can lead to some regrets. According to Advanced Dermatology, 78% of people regret at least one tattoo they had done in their teens or twenties. Our knights shared their thoughts on regrets and satisfactions. 

     “I will never regret a tattoo I get because it is a reminder of who I was as a person in the past and how I’ve changed,” said Novak. “Even if I don’t have the same mindset as I did when I got the tattoo, it is a reminder of how I used to think.”

     “I think I did everything for a reason,” said Cordis.

     Whether they regret it or not, some of our knights do not want to stop getting tattoos, in fact, they intend to get more in the future.

     “I plan on getting tattoos all over my body and it could range from various things because I just want to keep adding stuff that I like. I’d go for more grungy-type tattoos,” said Cortis.

     “I feel like I would get more meaningful tattoos, I want one for my dog, a matching one with my sister, and then one for my mom and pap,” said Sinchar.

     “I want to get my leg done, dedicated to my grandma. I’m getting a half sleeve of a lion to represent strength and bravery, I’ll have something my mom writes down put on me in her handwriting. Also a sea turtle on my ankle and a phoenix on my other calf to represent new beginnings and starting over,” said Smiley.

  Although Sinchar, Cordis, and Novak did not have to pay for their tattoos, the price range differs depending on the size, design, and artist doing the tattoo. Small tattoos range from about $50-$250 while medium tattoos range from about $150-$250. Large tattoos, however, can be up to $120-$150 per every hour the artist takes to finish it. Smiley’s tattoo was $125.

     Tattoos allow people to exhibit a part of themselves to the world around them. Our knights explained just a small portion of themselves, embedded in their skin. 

     Tattoos are a form of expression for people to show or remember something, permanently. It is an art form that is becoming more and more popular in today’s day and age that lasts forever.

Smiley’s tattoo [chest] incorporates symbols of transformation. “I wanted something that would remind me every day that I’ve changed and I’m going to keep changing and growing as a person. I’ll make mistakes and I’ll shed those mistakes as I learn and grow,” said Smiley.