2008 Woodie Awards
Plattsburgh Ink
Under the needle
Jessica Bakeman
Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: FUSE
Originally published: 10/4/07 at 10:00 PM EST
Last update: 10/4/07 at 10:56 PM EST
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All you need to do is look around Rugar Street on any school day and it is clear that a lot of PSUC students are going under the needle. The question is: why?
J.T. Maple and Greg Colucci, PSUC sophomores, just recently went to get tattoos at Body Art.
For Maple, it was an expression of his artistic passion. Not only does his tattoo (and a previous one) have to do with his musical interests, but he drew it himself.
Colucci's tattoo, which is a Sagittarius symbol protruding through a heart, means a lot to him, as well. However, he admits the decision was made when he was "hungover at one in the morning and said, 'hey, let's go get tattoos!'" Colucci said.
Cogswell had another perspective on why young people make this decision: "A lot of it is peer pressure," he said. "Kids are new to the college thing and being away from home. They want to fit in, so they get a tattoo."
For those who may be looking into getting a tattoo or piercing, there are specific safety tips that should be kept in mind.
Blowers, who has a tattoo himself, said to "check out the place first. A lot of people think that they will annoy the owner or be nosy - but it's not nosy, it's smart."
If you walk in and it does not look clean, you should beware, Blowers said.
"If a person is not sterilizing properly, you run the risk of bacterial infection," he said.
When you are getting a tattoo, it is specifically crucial to have the artist open the needle and ink packages in front of you so that you know they are new.
"There are folks out there that dip the needle in someone else's ink," Blowers said. This could spread communicable diseases, such as Hepatitis and HIV.
Blowers got his tattoo done at In Living Color, and recommends it highly.
Neverett-Brown said that "emo," or nautical, stars are a big thing among students right now. Cogswell also mentioned stars as a trend.
As far as piercings, nose studs are in demand, Clemons said. Cogswell said that genital piercings are popular.
For those who have had a good experience with their first tattoo or piercing, it is rare that they will stop at one.
Travis Glicksman, a customer at Vincent's who lives in Au Sable Forks, agrees that they are addicting.
"I got ten [tattoos] within a year and a half," Glicksman said. "Once you get one, you won't stop. It's like walking around with art work on your body, though… Tattoos are like stamps on a passport. You can always relate to what was going on in your life when you got one. They are different chapters of life's journey."
J.T. Maple and Greg Colucci, PSUC sophomores, just recently went to get tattoos at Body Art.
For Maple, it was an expression of his artistic passion. Not only does his tattoo (and a previous one) have to do with his musical interests, but he drew it himself.
Colucci's tattoo, which is a Sagittarius symbol protruding through a heart, means a lot to him, as well. However, he admits the decision was made when he was "hungover at one in the morning and said, 'hey, let's go get tattoos!'" Colucci said.
Cogswell had another perspective on why young people make this decision: "A lot of it is peer pressure," he said. "Kids are new to the college thing and being away from home. They want to fit in, so they get a tattoo."
For those who may be looking into getting a tattoo or piercing, there are specific safety tips that should be kept in mind.
Blowers, who has a tattoo himself, said to "check out the place first. A lot of people think that they will annoy the owner or be nosy - but it's not nosy, it's smart."
If you walk in and it does not look clean, you should beware, Blowers said.
"If a person is not sterilizing properly, you run the risk of bacterial infection," he said.
When you are getting a tattoo, it is specifically crucial to have the artist open the needle and ink packages in front of you so that you know they are new.
"There are folks out there that dip the needle in someone else's ink," Blowers said. This could spread communicable diseases, such as Hepatitis and HIV.
Blowers got his tattoo done at In Living Color, and recommends it highly.
Neverett-Brown said that "emo," or nautical, stars are a big thing among students right now. Cogswell also mentioned stars as a trend.
As far as piercings, nose studs are in demand, Clemons said. Cogswell said that genital piercings are popular.
For those who have had a good experience with their first tattoo or piercing, it is rare that they will stop at one.
Travis Glicksman, a customer at Vincent's who lives in Au Sable Forks, agrees that they are addicting.
"I got ten [tattoos] within a year and a half," Glicksman said. "Once you get one, you won't stop. It's like walking around with art work on your body, though… Tattoos are like stamps on a passport. You can always relate to what was going on in your life when you got one. They are different chapters of life's journey."
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