The Growing Tattoo Culture
Amy Zarebczan's '26 new tattoo.
Photot by Amy Zarebczan '26
What once was taboo is now in high demand as tattoo culture experiences a serious growth among college students.
The target demographic for tattoos has, statistically, changed recently. With over 4,000 licensed tattoo shops in the United States, the poster tattoo-wearer has gone from inking up as a sign of rebellion or social deviance, to a sign of individualism. According to Anne Velliquette, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arkansas, “The typical consumer now is a female college student, women aged 18-30.”
Even on individual campuses, research shows that over 20% of college students have at least one tattoo. So, what changed? The answer: attitudes and media presentations.
As ScienceDirect claims, tattoos are no longer used to, “articulate an adverse attitude,” but to provide an individual with an, “authentic narrative that [holds] spirituality and deep semantic meaning.” They represent moments, memories or relationships in one’s life, and now more than ever people are using them as such, instead of as symbols of affiliations.
Amy Zarebczan ‘26 said, “It is a way of expressing my [sense of] self. Body art is a form of expression of things you like, or of a story. I know a lot of people have tattoos that remind them of a certain part of their life and that’s what’s appealing.” Zarebczan herself sports a large tattoo of a hummingbird feeding off of a flower. Unknowingly, she is following a trend. Floral and minimalist tattoos have become most popular among college students specifically.
Zarebczan expressed brief backlash from previous generations, but ultimately felt that in the end, most people are growing much more comfortable with them. She suspects this is due to how easy it is to spread images of them on social media. “I feel like tattoos are becoming very popular, especially with Tik Tok. A lot of young people see certain trends and they become very attracted to them,” said Zarebczan.
Such online trends encourage young adults to explore the world of body art. For example, sticker tattoos from websites such as Inkbox allow for anyone to get a temporary realistic tattoo for the time being, which can then inspire them to get it done permanently. Similarly, amateur tattooing has increased, especially among college students. It is appealing to tattoo in dorms, and to, “...see someone carrying your own art on their bodies,” as Jenna Ring on Medium claims.
All in all, the increase of acceptance of tattoos has created a diverse tattoo culture on college campuses across America. They allow for students to express their individuality, as well as share stories from their past. Of course, not every tattoo must tell a story. As Zarebczan’s father called out in the background, “I want one of Wonder Woman!”