Opinion: The depth of significance runs deep in each individual. Some choose to express this through tattoos. But how does time contribute to the significance of tattoos?
———-
This morning, I watered my plants and rid them of their sickly leaves. I made my bed. And each morning, the weight of my blankets feels different depending on my emotional state. To me, this defines significance. All of these things are worthy of my attention because they reflect what my brain deems important. Tattoos carry that same significance.
Tattoo identity is fascinating. I got my first tattoo at the end of spring term last year. While its significance is more than the time of year I received it, the timing added to my excitement. Though it sounds cliche, I changed a lot during my first year at college. My tattoo helped me catalog that.
The tattoos of others often catalog that same significance. And the timing of getting tattooed sometimes plays a large part in its representation.
Peyton Syrnyk, a junior at the University of Oregon, got their first tattoo on Sept. 2, 2022. Across the length of their arm illustrates a vase spilling out an array of flowers, each with their own meaning and personalization.
“One thing that I was thinking about was making sure I had a flower that represents each of my family members,” Syrnyk said, admiring their tattoo.
The eight different flowers cascading down Syrnyk’s arm capture memories of home, family pets, familiar smells and self-growth.
“I designed the leaf myself on the day I got the tattoo,” Syrnyk said, looking at the leaf from a monstera plant on their arm, “It reminds me that joy expands. You can find new things that make you happy any day. You never know what’s coming.”
The timing of Syrnyk’s tattoo also had a large role in its meaning.
Sept. 2, 2022 was the one-year anniversary of a major surgery Syrnyk underwent: an adenoidectomy and a tonsillectomy. But the freedom this procedure showed them coincided with the liberation they felt from getting tattooed.
Syrnyk struggled with sleep apnea for years. Many doctors and surgeons did not accept their struggles, and therefore, would not complete the necessary procedure. Finding a surgeon who finally believed in doing something about it was a huge relief to the ongoing battle they had while advocating for their health and well-being.
“I felt like I had more of my medical freedom back, and it just felt like a new beginning,” Syrnyk said.
When they found out they could get their tattoo on the anniversary of their procedure, it was an immediate sign to book the appointment for that day.
“Now I am embracing [my medical freedom] as well as the freedom of doing with my body what I want,” Syrnyk said.
I got my tattoo in memory of my grandmother, as a tribute to the strength my mother showed after dealing with her mother’s death. My grandmother’s house had an everlasting smell of eucalyptus in it due to the soap she used. So on my arm, to embrace the strength of those I saw in grief, I have a branch of eucalyptus accompanied by some lyrics.
I got my tattoo in May of 2022 because I was concluding a year that showed me the stubbornness and toughness I inherited from my mother. It also happened to be six days before her birthday.
Tattoos are incredibly personal. And the ways in which we relate to them demonstrate to others our values. Syrnyk’s flowers capture the meaning of love, memory and happiness. Mine emphasizes maternal strength. No matter the method of expression one chooses, significance leads to stories. And stories about life and strength will always matter.
