It was once said that a tattoo is “an everlasting gem that you will take into your grave.”

14-year-old Kelsey Penny agrees with that statement whole-heartedly.

“I personally think tattoos are great. It provides a way to express yourself artistically and everyone around you gets to see your creative side,” Penny said.

She agrees that some areas may be questionable to tattoo, though she believes that that shouldn’t affect a person’s judgment about an individual with tattoos.

“Yeah, the most common people who receive tattoos are bikers and immature teenagers with stupid ideas, but then again, most people get tattoos to pay tribute to someone or something,” Penny said. “It’s all reflected upon the person’s decision for their tattoo, not the tattoos themselves.”

In our society, if you have a tattoo, it may affect your ability to get a job. Managers or companies think that it may show that you may have poor workmanship or poor qualities.

“Tattoos shouldn’t sway your decision to hire people. If they’re a good worker, hire them!” Penny said.

Though she is only 14-years-old, Penny has no reservations in saying she would absolutely get a tattoo now.

“I would love to get one right now, if my parents let me.”

Her tattoo would be a blue rose with black vines entangling in a bracelet-type structure with the rose as the centerpiece on the outside of her left wrist. The tattoo is a tribute to  her grandfather who is in a battle with Alzheimer’s.

“He’s my world. The rose symbolizes his favorite flower, the color blue is both mine and my grandpa’s favorite color, and the lack vines symbolize the bad things, but the idea of the rose shows that no matter how bad it may be, the beauty will always show through,” Penny said.

Like Penny, 15-year-old Anna Nicosia loves the idea of tattoos, as long as they have meaning.

“Despite what others may think, I like tattoos with purpose. Tattoos with meaning significant to the person whom is receiving it, are perfectly fine with me,” Nicosia said.

Nicosia said she would love to get a tattoo, but her parents would never approve, because they believe the way you look contributes to your success later in life, and that tattoos appear unprofessional.

“They both have very professional jobs, and have probably come to this decision through both the way they were raised, along with their own personal opinions,” she said.

She would get a tattoo possibly in a couple years, and it would be a quote on her ribs, or something along those lines, she said.

Adam Margaris agrees that tattoos in moderation, can be artwork.

“There are also places people should definitely NOT get tattoos. But, I’d say they look good as long as they stand for something important.”

Though Margaris thinks that certain tattoos would be worth getting (tributes, etc.) he would not get a tattoo himself. Partially for the effect a tattoo may have on your ability to get a job, and partially on the fact that tattoos hurt and he’d get tired of the tattoo and want it removed, he said.

“I personally wouldn’t. Tattoos last forever, and I’m not a very creative person, so I’ll probably get tired of the tattoo and want it removed. Plus, ow. Tattoos hurt,” Margaris said.