Zach Tong spent his first spring break getting matching tattoos with his parents.

“The first time I got a tattoo, it was spring break of my freshman year, and my parents and I got matching tattoos of the quote symbolizing ‘God is greater than the highs and lows,’” Tong said. 

Tong now has four tattoos, three on his left arm and one on his chest. A figure of Alexander the Great lies right below a crown of thorns surrounding the quote on his left arm, while the Roman numeral signifying a personal date IX/XVI/MMXI is on his chest. 

Tong admitted he felt like the personal significance of his tattoos might be lessened by openly sharing their artwork. 

“I feel like it has more meaning when you don’t just show them,” Tong said. 

Despite this, Tong opened up about the not-too-painful process of getting a tattoo. 

A local student from Coldwater, Michigan, Tong has now gotten all of his tattoos in Hillsdale after he first reached out to his step-uncle, who used to be a tattoo artist. 

“He’s super passionate about it, but he was out of practice, so he recommended some guy named Joe at Outlaw Tattoos here in Hillsdale,” Tong said. “My uncle has tats all over his face, so I trust his judgment.”

Tong said tattoo artists often practice on sheets made of synthetic material before tattooing a client’s skins. 

“They have a fake skin, equivalent to sketch paper,” Tong said. “Some of the old-school ones, like the one I see, practice on themselves first, then on other people. I mean, these people, who are usually called ‘guinea pigs,’ get free art.”

Although he was initially worried since a new artist inked his first tattoo, Tong said he now often gets positive feedback.

“Usually, it’s like, ‘oh that’s cool, where’d you get it?’” Tong said. 

Sophomore Ross Kuhn said the feedback he hears about his two tattoos usually depends on people’s backgrounds.

“I have gotten mixed reviews on them,” Kuhn said. “Some people like them and some people don’t, I think it just depends on the person and if they are used to seeing them or not.”

Kuhn, who has a large black-and-white snake tattoo twisted around a sword on his rib cage, and a large cross nestled in a bright, red rose on his leg, said he decided to get them mostly because he thought they were cool, and because he was inspired by his dad.

 “I decided to get them just because I like them,” Kuhn said.“My dad has tattoos so I grew up seeing them all the time and I just think they look good if they are done correctly.” 

Khun said the only thing he might change is getting his sword and snake tattoo in color, but expressed satisfaction overall.

“I still like how it is,” Kuhn said. “I also plan on getting more, probably some more leg pieces and maybe a chest piece as well.”

According to junior Sophia Figario, her mom inspired her choice of tattoos even as she initially discouraged her from getting one.

“So, like most conservative Christian kids, I grew up thinking that tattoos weren’t exactly the greatest idea,” Figario said. “My mother would say something like, ‘I’d never get a tattoo, what if I got something like a butterfly and then grew to not like butterflies later. I’d hate to have it permanently on my body.’”

Figario said even though this influenced her decision to place her first tattoo, a simple Orthodox cross, on the back of her left middle finger to reduce visibility, she wanted a permanent reminder of her faith. 

“If future Sophia grows to dislike her faith, that’s her problem and she has to deal with having a symbol of her faith tattooed on her hand as a constant reminder,” Figario said. “I chose the placement of it to be in an easily visible place for me, but not necessarily other people.”

The only person who ended up giving  her negative feedback about her first tattoo was the artist himself, Figario said. 

“He made sure to warn me that the placement was potentially harmful to my job options,” Figario said. “He was also especially hesitant about it being a cross. He wasn’t a particularly religious fellow, so I don’t blame him.”

Figario said she also decided to get a tattoo of two interlaced sprigs of lavender because of her fond association with the flower.

“I got lavender because it was my mom’s favorite flower, so when I would walk home from school with my dad, I would pick it from a bush we passed by to give to her,” Figario said. “I also made my wedding this last summer lavender-themed, so all around I have good memories associated with it.”

According to Figario, the only thing she’d change is the size of the lavender tattoo.

“I sometimes get told that my lavender tattoo looks like I drew it on because it does have an inky, watercolor look to it, so if I could change it, I would make it a little bit smaller and more realistic,” Figario said.  

Tong said he wouldn’t change a thing about his tattoos. 

“I like them. If you’re always critical then you’ll never be happy with them,” Tong said. “Placement isn’t going to be perfect, arms move, skin changes. Artists also have their own way of doing things, and you have to be open-minded.”