Namita Bhasin

For several years now, I have been mulling over the idea of a tattoo. Actually, that’s not quite right. I have been planning to get one - definitely - but there’s just a slight problem. I don’t know what to get or where to put it.

I want it to be small and slightly inconspicuous. Something tasteful, somewhere decent where people (including myself) can see it, but not when I don’t wish it. Haven’t decided if I want color or not (I suppose that depends on what it is) but I’m leaning towards not.

I’m going to crowdsource this, because I want all the input I can get. I’m about to brand myself and I’d like some help deciding exactly what that brand is going to be. I don’t really have a me-symbol, or a favorite flower or Chinese character, nor am I particularly religious or desirous of anyone’s name on my person. This makes it a bit difficult to choose a design. I want my friends and family who know me to weigh in, and I want some strangers with a fresh perspective to say how they see me too. Some potential designs will be up soon, so check back in and tell me what you think

I know those of you who know me don’t/won’t take this seriously because I’ve never done anything particularly rebellious or crazy. The most drastic physical change I’ve ever made was cutting off 7-8 inches of my hair just before Thanksgiving this year, which most people didn’t even notice. I wonder if that week I went to the gym 3 times also counts… Anyway, this is going to happen because I’m on a time crunch now. I want to do this before I leave Berkeley in May.

There are a few reasons:

1. I want to get it in Berkeley, and it will be lame to come back for it after I leave. I didn’t spend 4 years here to go get a tattoo in *insert eye-roll here* Cupertino.
2. I want to do it while I’m in college. I never did any of the wild-crazy-fun-only-in-college stuff that everyone does. No drinking, no partying, no boys, no insane weekend adventures. This will be my last chance for something like that, and it will be the thing I remember at the end of college. I wouldn’t mind one small permanent reminder that I was a bit of a college kid, too.
3. I want to foray into the rest of life with myself ready to go - I’m going to fix my closet, my room, my body, my style, my thing. I’ve always felt scattered and constantly behind and I am going to take a few months after graduation to catch up with myself and figure out everything I’ve never had time to figure out before. Tattoo is one item on that very, very long list.
4. It’s been long enough! Of course I’ll do the whole 3-week-Sharpie test, but I’ve wanted a tattoo for long enough that it isn’t an impulsive decision. I’ve really thought about what it means to etch something onto my person forever and I’ve decided that I like the idea of actually doing it on my own terms, kind of like when I gave myself a middle name at the age of 6. I haven’t regretted that; isn’t this kind of the same thing? (My parents humored me and got it legally changed - I hope they’re as understanding with this!)

Anyway, yeah, I want a tattoo. Please argue with me, encourage me, tell me your experiences, suggest designs. I want to hear all of it!