West tatted

Mr. Lindsey, one of West High's English teachers, feels it’s important to live in the moment, and he illustrates that belief in his tattoo choice. “It’s kind of living in that moment…” He adds, “you can’t control the past, you can’t do anything about it. Just live in the now.” Lindsey’s personal life is included in the message of his tattoo as well. “The clock is at 6:18 and tha...

Daniel Robinson got his tattoo in honor of his mom. "It’s a bible verse proverbs 3:5-6 and three crosses representing when Jesus was crucified," Robinson said. Although the tattoo has religious ties, it also contains ties to family. "I got it for my mom when she had cancer. She always talked about trusting god and that’s what the verse is about. I got it for her," Robinson said.

Greta Kraske '23 got her tattoo to honor struggles in mental health. "I got butterflies when I turned eighteen, one which has a semicolon which symbolizes my story isn't over yet," Kraske said.  The butterflies represent the butterfly project, which started over six years ago to divert from self-harm. Kraske does not believe there is a stigma around tattoos....

Ava Smithey '23 got her tattoo dedicated to her grandma. "Ever since I was little, my grandma called me her sweet one," Smithey said. When her grandma wrote her a handwritten letter for her 15th birthday ending with those three words, Smithey knew she wanted to get it tattooed. "I got it on my ribs which I had heard was one fo the most painful spots, so I was mentally prepared for the worst pain,"...

Ava Graf '23 has four tattoos with many different stories. One reads, "Everything happens for a reason" on her spine. "It's a saying that I’ve used through all the good and hard times in my life," Graf said. Graf also has one matching her sister and one with her entire family. "I was super grateful to be with people I loved during both my experiences," Graf said. Although it may sting, "I’ll always...