People change when they come to live in Austin. As soon as people find themselves within the borders of such a dynamic and modern city, they assimilate into a lifestyle that appeals to their inner artist and/or eccentric. Whether they find themselves with a new passion for live music or with a new hair color or even with a new outlook on sustainability, the people who come to live here have experiences that transform them.

And, often times, such transformation manifests itself in the form of a tattoo. Such a creative community finds the art of tattoos to be one of the most popular forms of self-expression and release. To get a tattoo in Austin is just as common a tradition as a Sweet 16 or a quinceañera. It is an experience that adds to a person’s life story and, additionally, merges with the larger “Austin story.”

Such a contagious mindset caught the mind and heart of St. Edward’s University sophomore Cassie Colton, who got a tattoo last fall at the local Platinum Ink Tattoo Shop.

Colton said that the real meaning behind this particular floral piece lies within the surrounding text that reads, “whatever forever.”

The line originates from a lyric in the song “Rock Bottom” by the band “Modern Baseball.” Essentially, the line emphasizes the carefree attitude the singer expresses towards his responsibilities and, instead, prioritizes his time and energy by spending it with the people he cares about.

This was a similar sentiment that Colton felt she wanted to express through her tattoo, as she found that the text related to her own struggles and reliance on those close to her to get through difficult times.

There is a deep and personal meaning behind this tattoo. Colton uses it as a constant reminder of her own strength and how she shouldn’t place too much weight on the “small stuff” that could potentially stress her out.

Many people around the world regard this particular medium of self-expression in a similar way; they don’t associate it with the similar positive sentiment that Austinites do.

Colton said she receives “weird looks” from people in her hometown, and they approach her with questions regarding her tattoos. She said that in order to combat the “stigma” behind tattoos, she responds to the stares and comments with as much confident honesty as she can muster, which is rooted in the profound personal meaning behind each of her tattoos.

She took a moment to leave all those who fear the stigma and/or the permanency of such an art form with a solid piece of advice that regularly assists her and maintains her faith in her tattoos: “every time you look at the tattoo you’ll be reminded of the context [you got it in] which is more meaningful than the tattoo itself.”

Tattoos aren’t something to fear. They are simply another method of documenting our story. And in Austin, people have plenty of stories to tell.