'This tattoo is a piece of self-expression, which no one has anything to say about'

'I have the same tattoo as my niece. It is a composition of a robin and an accordion, and symbolizes our pake and beppe – grandpa and grandma in Frisian – from Friesland. My pake has bright red hair and a bright red beard, just like his two brothers. Within the fishing village of Makkum, where they live, they call them 'the robins'. If someone there asks me who my family is, and I name the robins, they immediately know who my pake is. The accordion is for my beppe. She played this musical instrument for a long time until she developed the joint disease osteoarthritis. The relationship between me and my grandparents is very good. They were always there to babysit and beppe taught me how to play the piano. The tattoo was a surprise. They really liked it, so did the rest of the family. I also have a tattoo on my back, but I sometimes forget it because I can't see it. That's why I chose to put it on my chest, so that it's clearly visible to me.'

'When I was eighteen years old, my stepfather died. We had a very good relationship, he was like a father to me. That's why I got a tattoo for him. It is a red spider lily, with the initials of my stepfather. In Japanese culture, a spider lily represents a 'last goodbye'. Tattooing this flower helped me in the grieving process. My psychologist even confirmed that. The lily is on my left forearm because my stepfather always held my left hand, and my mother my right hand. In addition, the forearm is a relatively painless place. My mother wasn’t too enthusiastic when she first saw the tattoo. But she knows I had a good reason: my stepfather. So she didn't stay angry about it for long. It feels to me like I can go on living now. I always have my stepfather with me.'

'My tattoo is a large ship, from the series 'One Piece'. For me, the ship symbolizes friendship and camaraderie. The series is about found friendships and family among the ship's crew, they feel a bit like the friends I didn't have. In high school, I was an outsider. Now I do have friends and they feel like family. The ship is a kind of reminder of how important that is, and that you have to work for each other. I would like to mention the tattoo shop where I put it: 'Alphatypical'. Even a year and a half later, I am still very happy with it, because there really is a story behind it. My parents weren't really surprised, because my whole chest and right arm were already full. With the first tattoo they reacted a little more extremely. My grandmother said: 'I think it's terrible, but if you're happy with it...’ So it is clear how she thinks about it. But that's also part of it. For me, tattooing my body is making it my own. We have very little choice in what we get, but you do have a choice about that art. It's a piece of self-expression, which no one else has anything to say about.'

‘At the age of seventeen, I experienced depressive episodes caused by my parents’ divorce. Sometimes I felt better, and sometimes everything came back. The most important quality I have, resilience, has kept me focused and helped me get through the things that happened. Six years later, in 2023, I was finally able to let go and express myself. That’s why I got the word ‘resilience’ tattooed on my arm. I wanted the tattoo to match my personality: visibly, but at the same time soft. So I got it small in fine line on my arm. At first my mother thought I was joking, because no one in the family has gotten any kind of body art before. But in the end she did not really mind. Maybe I’ll go for another tattoo in the future, I’m thinking about it.'

'Roan and three other housemates were visiting me in Italy, where I was on study exchange. After dinner we sat together and the impulsive idea arose: 'What if we all get the same tattoo?' Roan and I were enthusiastic, the rest were not. The next day we discussed it again, and that same day we made an appointment to get the tattoo. The tattoo is a whale, and represents our student house; the White Whale. The name comes from our former domestic cat: Moby Dik. The cat passed away and has been replaced for a while, but the house is still named after it. It is not the official logo – we did this deliberately – but the whale really symbolizes our student house. The house means a lot to us, we have been living there for four years and have a lot of fun together. When we came up with the idea, our housemates didn't quite believe it yet, but they really liked it. The rest of our environment too, the reactions are all positive. We certainly don't regret the tattoo, it's a reminder of a nice student time and a beautiful part of our lives.'

'My tattoo is inspired by my favourite movie, 'Spirited Away'. It is a detailed film, in which the protagonist ends up in a fantasy world. One aspect particular stuck with me: during the film you see creatures that have to lift heavy stones. With one creature you see that this is difficult at first, but it eventually succeeds. Before I came to school here, I did pre-university education and failed my final exams. I then followed VAVO for a year – where you can obtain partial certificates – and worked hard for it. When I finally obtained my pre-university diploma and was admitted to study Psychology at the UT, it really felt like a victory. This victory reminded me of that of the little creature. That's why I decided to put one of those creatures that lift a stone on my ankle. It reminds me of how hard I worked and what I achieved. This spot is subtle and so the tattoo is a bit for myself. My environment reacted well to it, and I'm still happy with it.'