I’ve always been fascinated by tattoos. Growing up, I remember seeing members of my family with tattoos and thinking they were the coolest thing ever. I was also glued to the TV show Miami Ink, completely intrigued by the meaning behind each tattoo and the personal stories people shared about why they got them.
But the real turning point for me came later, when I was attending boarding school. There was a resident assistant named Ed who stood out immediately—he was covered in tattoos, with full sleeves on both arms. He also worked as a substitute teacher, and one day he gave me advice that really stuck with me. He told me that it was okay to have tattoos, but that with them comes responsibility. Even though he was a teacher, he always covered his tattoos when he was in the classroom. That lesson stayed with me—no matter how you express yourself, there’s a time and place for professionalism.
Looking back, I’m glad I waited until I was 33 to get my first tattoo. If I had gotten one earlier, it probably would’ve been something dumb that I didn’t really think through. By the time I turned 33, I was more intentional and knew I wanted my first tattoo to actually mean something.