Everyone has seen people with tattoos before. Hasn’t anyone ever wondered about the stories behind them? For some, getting a tattoo means something more than just a mark on their skin. For others it just a fun distraction. No matter what someone’s reason for getting a tattoo, it’s still a part of them. Not only on the surface of their skin, but in their heart.

Sophomore Selena Dooley received her first tattoo when she was 14. She’d always thought it seemed like a fun thing to do, ever since she saw her older brother get one. Her first tattoo was a fairy.

“When I was younger, I had a fascination with Never land,” Dooley said. “I wanted to live in a world of magic and fairies. I got a tattoo of a fairy so that even though I’m older now, I’ll never forget that part of my childhood.”

Getting her tattoo done only hurt for a couple seconds. The next day though, she said her tattoo was sore and remained so for a couple days afterward. However, to Dooley it was worth it. Even if she could, she’d never change it.

Lindsey Vielhauer, junior, plans on getting a tattoo the minute she turns 18. Vielhauer wants an infinity symbol on her back, with the words “Love is forever. Forever is all I need.” Her pale, pink-orange hair momentarily slides forward to conceal her face like a curtain before she pushes it back and begins to speak.

“It’s for my grandma, a memorial to her because I’ll always love her,” Vielhauer explained.

She has been planning this tattoo for about a year. A constant reminder of her grandmother’s love and that she will always be there, in Vielhauer’s heart. She was close to her grandmother, and when Vielhauer receives her tattoo, for her it will be like having her grandmother by her side again.

Next time you see someone with inked skin–in your class, in your family, at work–try asking them about it. The story behind it