LAURA JANE KENNY | staff writer
With new students experiencing their first year of independence, some are going under the needle.
APU freshmen are trying out their new freedoms, but the fun of staying out all night is no longer enough to satisfy these 18-year-olds.
Tattoos are exploding in popularity across APU. Many freshman are deciding to tattoo themselves for the experience, as an act of rebellion, or just because they can.
“Why not? I am on my own and my parents can’t tell me what to do anymore,” freshman business major, Kristen DiMarco said.
DiMarco is planning to get a tattoo sometime this fall. However, many freshmen have already gotten their tattoos.
Freshman biology major Chad Jensen got his tattoo in the spur of the moment, a couple months after he turned 18.
“I called my parents and told them I was going to get it. I had to phrase it in a question because I was using their credit card,” Jensen said.
His first tattoo is the word Abba printed across the top of his foot, which he loves. He has gotten 5 since.
However, not all tattoos are so spontaneous. Freshman nursing major Samantha Schmidt thought about hers for three years. It means a great deal to her.
Schmidt has a tattoo of a dove on her left inner forearm which was inspired by her favorite Bible verse, which talks about ‘being like a dove.’
“Doves mate for life and when they get attacked they don’t fight back. It is a good reminder,” Schmidt said.
Another freshman, Samantha Carballo, is looking for a deep meaning from her tattoo. Carballo, a global studies major, wants to get a heart with a cross next to it.
“I want to show people the love I have for God. I love the idea of putting art on your body. You are a showcase,” Carballo said.
Freshman undeclared major Brennan Campbell has a tattoo that has a lot of meaning for him as well. Campbell has a tattoo of his family crest on his inner left forearm. After the death of his father, Campbell’s family was looking for ways to pull together and support each other.
“I wanted to get something that would remind me of the unity and strength of my family,” Campbell said. “What am I going to think about it when I look 20, 30, 40 years down the line? Am I going to see just a piece of ink in my arm? It will be a little marker for when I was 18, the things I was going through and what was really important to me at that time.”
Unfortunately, not all are so happy with their rebellious decision. Sophomore liberal studies major Carrie Biller regrets getting her tattoo.
“I hate it. I shouldn’t have done it,” Biller said, referring to the flower tattooed on the top of her foot. “I already wanted a tattoo, but once I found out my parents would be mad if I got it, I wanted to get it even more.”
Biller is going to get the tattoo added to in the near future.
“I still like tattoos, I just don’t’ like mine,” Biller said.
Many can relate to Biller’s feelings toward her tattoo. With a rise in interest for tattoos, a rise in tattoo removal follows. wAn article in CNN states that the tattoo removal industry is growing more than ever.
This painful, costly and time-consuming procedure is making a nice profit off others’ regrets. Out of the 24 percent of 18-50 year old Americans that have tattoos, 17 percent have considered getting them removed.
Plenty of freshmen do realize, however, the amount of commitment a tattoo really has.
“I don’t like the idea of putting something permanently on my body,” freshman physics major Adam Craycraft said. “It also makes a big statement to write something on your body and I’m not sure I have anything to make that statement about yet.”
Still, many enjoy the aspect that the tattoo is a permanent thing.
Freshman undeclared major Blake Brady is glad her little green piece sign tattoo will be there forever.
“The biggest symbol of what I really believe is a peace sign. And I just wanted to have that on me to remind me. Even when I’m older, when I lose sight of that, I want to remember how I felt at that time in my life.” 
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