Lately, it seems like every teen who hits the age of 18 wants to get a tattoo.. or two.. or more.

I am someone who is a huge fan of tattoos. Quotes and meaningful symbols are one thing, but dragons breathing fire across one’s entire back and shoulders is another.

When a person is asked what their tattoo means, or why they chose to mark their body forever with it, they should have a solid answer. An answer that doesn’t include “It looked cool,” or “I found it on Xanga.”

I have one tattoo on my hip. In cursive, it reads, “Always Stay Strong.” When asked what it’s there for, I say, “My sister has been through a lot and she inspires me to never remain broken down.”

In my opinion, that’s something that is worthy of being a permanent reminder.

I’ve seen tattoos of mystical creatures, a zipper, skulls, and even Winnie the Pooh. When you see a tattoo like that, you can’t help but wonder what it’s even supposed to mean. So naturally, I’ll ask. The responses vary, but they basically say the same thing: these tattoos mean absolutely nothing. Why would someone want something meaningless marked on their skin forever? Is it worth it to pay hundreds of dollars to get the face of Marilyn Monroe tattooed on your arm just to end up getting it removed when you realize how senseless it was?

Then, once in a while, you’ll come across someone with a name across their chest or maybe even up the side of their neck. To get a child’s name on your body is acceptable because that child will always be yours no matter what the circumstances may be in the future.

However, getting your partner’s name is absolutely ridiculous, especially since certain people are getting it in their teenage years. Who’s to know if you will end up with that person in the future? How would you feel if you dated someone with an ex-partner’s name written across their body?

Sure, tattoos can be meaningful, and a great accessory to include in your daily swag, but certain designs and/or words are just not meant to be on your skin for the rest of your life. The bottom line is, if you’re going to get a tattoo, make sure it’s worthy of continuous remembrance, and if you aren’t positive about displaying a specific tattoo for your entire life, don’t get one for the sole purpose of having one.