According to the study, college students get tattoos to express individuality and communicate rebellion, as well as convey spiritual meaning and mark milestones.

Walking around a campus of over 29,000 students, you’re almost guaranteed to pass at least one person with a tattoo. You might not be able to see it, but that may be one of the primary reasons why students are getting tattoos in hidden places.

When turning 18, many young adults feel that to appropriately celebrate, they need to get their body pierced or have some body art embedded into their skin.

However, the pressure of fitting in as a freshman in college is not so much an issue as it was in high school. Now college freshmen are finding out who they really are, and a larger percentage than ever feel the need to express their individuality by going under the needle.

It's the method of choice for up to 25 percent of college freshmen, according to a recent study by Myrna Armstrong entitled "College Tattoos: More Than Skin Deep."

According to the study, college students get tattoos to express individuality and communicate rebellion, as well as convey spiritual meaning and mark milestones.

Yet, more than 34 percent of these freshmen never even bother to ask the artist to see their tattooing license, or make sure the needle is sterile.

Did you know that if your tattoo is completed with an unsanitary needle, you could acquire hepatitis?

In one study, tattooing accounted for 41 percent of all hepatitis C infections. It’s also true that college students are known to have only enough income to get by. Often, tattoo parlors charge up to $100 per hour, plus a fat tip for your artist.

Think long and hard before you decide it’s your time to get one. Make sure you visit several parlors, and look for one that meets the health standards. Plan out where you are going to get the tattoo on your body and, most importantly, think about what may happen at home or at work if you get this body art inked into your skin.

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