The Aftermath
Natalie is my best friend from home and currently goes to University of Pennsylvania and is in the Wharton Business School. Getting in touch with her for this interview was definitely hard because she's a very busy girl and is always studying hard.
Natalie: "Hey Tash(areeTA SHah-her nickname for me)! How are you?"
Me: "Hey Natty!! I'm doing well. So basically I'm calling because I'm doing a project on our tattoo and everything relating to it."
Natalie: "That's amazing. I wish we could go back to that summer. I hate studying; it's taking over my life."
Me: "It's funny that you say that because that is exactly the opposite of our tattoo. We should be pulling through studying and not wishing to go back to last summer but to get excited for this upcoming summer."
Natalie: "Well, shit. Well said."
Me: "Sometimes I think about our tattoo and actually use it in decision making. So what I want to get from you throughout this interview are your thoughts about your tattoo and how you feel about it now. So talk to me."
Natalie: "I definitely do not regret it. Sometimes I think about it and remember how big of a deal it was to us and then when I see other peoples, I definitely want another one...something bigger."
Me: "Ok you have to send me pictures later."
Natalie: "Of course. You know what else has been amazing about a tattoo? It's a great conversation topic when talking to anyone...and boys(we both laugh at this). No but seriously Areeta - haven't you bonded with other people that have tattoos? or people that want one? or people that ask about something interesting about you?"
Areeta: "Oh absolutely. I remember during the first week of school when we had to introduce ourselves to everyone and tell two truths and a lie or ice breaker games like that, I always used my tattoo as the interesting fact about me. Wait, side note, has your mom found yours yet?"
Natalie: "OH MY GOD!! I completely forgot to tell you! When I was home during the break, I was wearing a shirt with low arm holes and my bra wasn't completely covering it and she found it. It was like really awkward because I wasn't going to own up to it but she just came up to me and said 'You better not get any more.' I was so shocked and I thought that she was going to get even more upset but I guess I'll really make her mad when she sees the next one that I get."
Me: "Ahhh Natalie I don't think that you should get another one. You don't want to upset her even more. She's being chill now but I think if you were to get another one, she would freak out."
Natalie: "It's my life and I really want another one. I can't just not do what I want because my mom says so. I'm 18 and I want another one when my body is nice and I've already created sketches of possible ones. I'm meeting with my tattoo artist this week."
Me: "I'm not going to tell you what to do but I sincerely advice you not to get another one or at least wait till your out of the house. Natalie, we both have single mothers and they already have a lot that they have to do for us and we already went behind their back once and got away with it. I think it's stupid to do it again because then they will just lose hope."
Natalie: "I don't know. I'm going to meet with him and let you know what I decide to do."
Me: "Okay sounds good. Since you're in the business school, has it ever been a problem that you have a tattoo?"
Natalie: "Nope. Never. It's never been a concern because of our location. It's also never brought up in conversation because it pertains to nothing."
Me: "Have you seen business people with tattoos?"
Natalie: "It's interesting that you ask that because I really do pay attention to that. What I noticed is that people that look like they could be a parent do not have tattoos and the younger people have had tattoos. Obviously there have been exceptions to both but that was the realization that I made."
Me: "I think it's because our generation is much more accepting of tattoos since it's all over social media."
Natalie: "I agree but I also think it's because more kids are able to be more independent of their parents and do their own thing with less severe consequences."
Me: "Well Natalie, thank you so much for helping me with this!! I appreciate your input and I can't wait to see you soon!"
Natalie: "Likewise. Good luck studying and party hard."
Natalie: "Hey Tash(areeTA SHah-her nickname for me)! How are you?"
Me: "Hey Natty!! I'm doing well. So basically I'm calling because I'm doing a project on our tattoo and everything relating to it."
Natalie: "That's amazing. I wish we could go back to that summer. I hate studying; it's taking over my life."
Me: "It's funny that you say that because that is exactly the opposite of our tattoo. We should be pulling through studying and not wishing to go back to last summer but to get excited for this upcoming summer."
Natalie: "Well, shit. Well said."
Me: "Sometimes I think about our tattoo and actually use it in decision making. So what I want to get from you throughout this interview are your thoughts about your tattoo and how you feel about it now. So talk to me."
Natalie: "I definitely do not regret it. Sometimes I think about it and remember how big of a deal it was to us and then when I see other peoples, I definitely want another one...something bigger."
Me: "Ok you have to send me pictures later."
Natalie: "Of course. You know what else has been amazing about a tattoo? It's a great conversation topic when talking to anyone...and boys(we both laugh at this). No but seriously Areeta - haven't you bonded with other people that have tattoos? or people that want one? or people that ask about something interesting about you?"
Areeta: "Oh absolutely. I remember during the first week of school when we had to introduce ourselves to everyone and tell two truths and a lie or ice breaker games like that, I always used my tattoo as the interesting fact about me. Wait, side note, has your mom found yours yet?"
Natalie: "OH MY GOD!! I completely forgot to tell you! When I was home during the break, I was wearing a shirt with low arm holes and my bra wasn't completely covering it and she found it. It was like really awkward because I wasn't going to own up to it but she just came up to me and said 'You better not get any more.' I was so shocked and I thought that she was going to get even more upset but I guess I'll really make her mad when she sees the next one that I get."
Me: "Ahhh Natalie I don't think that you should get another one. You don't want to upset her even more. She's being chill now but I think if you were to get another one, she would freak out."
Natalie: "It's my life and I really want another one. I can't just not do what I want because my mom says so. I'm 18 and I want another one when my body is nice and I've already created sketches of possible ones. I'm meeting with my tattoo artist this week."
Me: "I'm not going to tell you what to do but I sincerely advice you not to get another one or at least wait till your out of the house. Natalie, we both have single mothers and they already have a lot that they have to do for us and we already went behind their back once and got away with it. I think it's stupid to do it again because then they will just lose hope."
Natalie: "I don't know. I'm going to meet with him and let you know what I decide to do."
Me: "Okay sounds good. Since you're in the business school, has it ever been a problem that you have a tattoo?"
Natalie: "Nope. Never. It's never been a concern because of our location. It's also never brought up in conversation because it pertains to nothing."
Me: "Have you seen business people with tattoos?"
Natalie: "It's interesting that you ask that because I really do pay attention to that. What I noticed is that people that look like they could be a parent do not have tattoos and the younger people have had tattoos. Obviously there have been exceptions to both but that was the realization that I made."
Me: "I think it's because our generation is much more accepting of tattoos since it's all over social media."
Natalie: "I agree but I also think it's because more kids are able to be more independent of their parents and do their own thing with less severe consequences."
Me: "Well Natalie, thank you so much for helping me with this!! I appreciate your input and I can't wait to see you soon!"
Natalie: "Likewise. Good luck studying and party hard."