I have wanted a tattoo for such a long time now, and I kind of can’t believe that I can look down and see PERMANENT ink on my body. I was probably around the age of 15 or 16 when I started looking at tattoos online, and thinking to myself “I want tattoos one day”. Deciding on what to get without over thinking was definitely a challenge for me. A tattoo is something that I knew I needed to think long and hard about because I didn’t want to regret it or decide on a whim, but I also didn’t want to over think it completely. For a long time, I sort of thought that tattoos should always have a meaning, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that they don’t have to have any kind of meaning, and you could just simply get the tattoo because it looks cool and you like it.
After talking about it for a while, my best friend and I decided that we would finally get serious and look for a professional, clean, and trustworthy tattoo shop. We did our research, and it took a bit of time, but we both eventually agreed on a local tattoo shop. We started thinking about the tattoos that we wanted, and I honestly was not 100% sure about my idea. I changed it twice within a short time period, so I felt a bit unsure throughout the process. We never ended up going to get our tattoos, and summer was right around the corner. I knew I wanted to go in the ocean and tan at the pool, so we decided to put off the tattoos until summer ended. I told myself that I would do it for sure in September. Summer came to an end and we started talking about getting our tattoos again. I had a lot of time to think over the summer and I finally decided on a tattoo that I knew I would love, and I knew that there would never be a reason to regret it. This time it felt more real. I started watching videos about getting tattoos and I was reading about the most painful body parts to get tattooed and I have to be honest, although doing research is important, it didn’t really calm my nerves.
Once we visited the tattoo shop that we agreed on, we were able to speak to a tattoo artist and we showed her what we wanted. We got her contact information so we would be able to schedule an appointment and she began drawing our tattoos. I was a little nervous about this part because I wanted it to be original, and I already had a good idea of what I wanted in my head. I was just hoping that our tattoo artist could create my vision. After a few days she sent us her drawings of our tattoos, and we spent some time explaining to her the things we liked and the things we wanted to change. It took a few tries, but she sent me another drawing and I knew I had my tattoo. Our appointment was coming up quickly and with each day that passed, I got a bit more anxious.
It was finally the day of our tattoo appointment and I was feeling jittery and nervous. It was all I could think about. Days leading up to the appointment, I would randomly text my best friend things like, “In a few days, we are going to go to sleep with tattoos on our bodies!” After my classes, I drove home feeling excited and terrified and I called my best friend to let her know that she could come over.
We could not have picked a better place or artist to get our first tattoos. We walked in, and our artist and the shop owner greeted us and made us feel very welcome. They made us feel more comfortable, and they were extremely kind and professional. Our artist took the time to explain everything she was doing, and she made sure that we loved what she designed. We were very nervous to get our tattoos, but my best friend decided to go first. My nerves went away while I held my best friends hand as she got her first tattoo, but they quickly came back as I sat down to get mine. It is very scary to have to put all of your trust into a stranger, but she did an amazing job! I did not really know what to expect pain wise, but it was obviously not a very pleasant feeling. I would say that at most, the pain was a 7 out of 10 and at the lowest it was about a 5. There were a couple spots that hurt more than others, but I had my eyes shut almost the entire time. We ended up making the blue shading a bit darker for my tattoo, and once it was over I was incredibly happy. My tattoo really doesn’t have any kind of personal meaning. I honestly just thought that it was beautiful and simple, and it is exactly what I wanted and planned on getting. Our artist explained how to take care of our tattoos, and told us to stop by and say hi any time. I do plan on getting more tattoos in the future, and if I am able to, I am definitely going back to the same shop and artist. Overall, it was a pretty exciting experience and I am grateful that I got to do it with my best friend by my side. I know that a tattoo is a big deal, but I know for a fact that this is not something I will ever regret.
Healing Update: My tattoo began scabbing over a couple days after getting it, and then the itching and peeling began. The itching was on and off, but it was SO annoying ( it only lasted a few days)! Then the top layer peeled off. I have been using A & D ointment three times a day on my tattoo, and I am still so in love with it! I kind of wish it was completely healed already, but it’ll get there!
Thank you for taking the time to read about my first tattoo experience! If you have any questions for me, leave a comment below! Don’t forget to subscribe and share with your friends!
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