Many West Essex students and staff, including biology teacher Jody Dolce knew getting a tattoo was something they have always wanted.

“I think it’s a way to express yourself, the same way you would wear certain clothing and dye your hair. It’s a cool way to have something that’s apart of you because its permanent. It’s like wearable artwork,” teacher Ms. Dolce said. Ms. Dolce has an anchor tattoo that represents faith, love and hope.

Tattoos express who a person is and it’s a way to keep something special with someone forever; especially if the tattoo has an important meaning.

“I got my tattoo in honor of my grandfather,” senior Giovanni Torrillo said. Torrillo’s tattoo has Pop Pop written above a rose, along with the dates his grandfather was born and passed away.

Getting a tattoo in remembrance of someone important in a person’s life is a way to keep someone close at all times because it’s permanently engraved in their body.

Another reason people want tattoos is because, simply, they look cool.

“I’ve always wanted a tattoo,” junior Brooke Carlton said. Carlton didn’t doubt for a second that once she could get a tattoo, she would get one in memory of her grandmother. Carlton’s tattoo is of her grandmother’s heartbeat and birth date with the words, “my angel” printed on it.

Many students who admired a good piece of ink said that tattoos show individuality and creativity.

“I just feel like I don’t want my body to be plain, I want to be different and have things that I feel express who I am,” senior Larissa Roldao-Ramos said. Ramos’ tattoo is of a rose

Tattoos have the ability to make someone’s body an art masterpiece that expresses one’s creativity.

“I don’t regret my tattoo at all,” junior Hailey Vincelette said. Vincelette got her tattoo of in honor of her mother. It is a infinity sign with a heart that has “mom” written on it.

With the tattoo appeal growing, there’s definitely going to be more students and teachers at West Essex getting inked. Tattoos are the new trend that might just be permanent!