You're gonna have to face it...

... you're addicted to tats

By: Karen Tableiou

Posted: 9/15/08

Addictions come in all shapes and sizes. Most college students are addicted to caffeine, mostly in the form of coffee from establishments such as Starbucks, Caribou Coffee or any local coffee shop. Others are passionately addicted to video games ("World of Warcraft," to name one). Harmless addictions, one could say; that's just who those people are, it's just what they like the most.

I have an addiction, recently acquired only a month ago. The thought of getting a tattoo has always been tantalizing. It wasn't until I started college that I become more aware of how many people have tattoos; almost always having more than one. I promised a friend we would get tattoos this past summer, so after much delay we finally went in. The minute I felt the pinpricks of the needle on my shoulder blade I was already sketching out my next tattoo in my mind.

What's so addicting about it? Do they lace the ink with a drug that makes you crave more? Now that's a bit far-fetched, but we can't deny there is a strong urge to get more. Tattooing is an art that's been around for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations would adorn themselves with tribal symbols signifying rank or status in the community. Today you can get almost anything tattooed to your body, whether it is a real-life representation of a pet or a cartoon you doodled yesterday.

Unfortunately, it's a costly addiction. Coffee costs usually stay under $5 at each purchase, and added up over a lifetime this leads to quite an expensive addiction, but coffee addicts rarely think about the long-term cost. They only know they can afford their addiction at that moment, future be damned. A tattoo addiction can be rather costly in the here and now. My own cost me $150 (keep in mind that color was not used, just black/gray) and I had put aside funds specifically for this endeavor. My friend's cost her twice as much. Now imagine how much a tattoo sleeve or full body design would be. That's a lot more than one cup of joe. Tattoo addicts (who I would say is almost everyone who gets a tattoo) could potentially pay a year's worth of coffee for just one tattoo.

Not only is a tattoo expensive, but there's always the potential of infection. Your skin has been punctured and marred, you bleed and feel pain and infection is a possibility. Every tattoo owner takes great care of their new art, following directions as much to the "T" as possible to ensure their safety.

So if this addiction is so costly and potentially infectious, why do people do it? Maybe it's the thrill of going against a parent's wishes or wanting to fit in with a certain group of friends. For me it was the idea of having a permanent representation of something I love plastered on my shoulder. I'm ready to get my next one (I have the idea already drawn up), but I need to save and I do have some willpower (not much, but some). All I can say is that I'm glad to add this harmless "addiction" and suggest that if you've always wanted a tattoo, stop procrastinating and just do it.