Unlike in the USA, university students and tattoos don't often mix in China. Part of it is the submissive attitude towards parents, as well as the cost, the pain, and the public perception that someone sporting a tattoo is trying to be "bad."
I have a come across a few brave souls, however, even in my own classes. In one class, two students got tattoos this semester, and one of them got hers at the tattoo artist I frequent. My student said that the tattoo guy asked her where I've been lately, since it's been a while since my last ink session.
I've also spotted a few of the more diva-inclined students sporting cute designs on their ankles or on their shoulder blades. More often than not, one will encounter these students staying outside the school gates long into the night, drinking, smoking, and chatting with douchebag-looking dudes, thus further solidifying their "bad" perception. But I don't judge.
I don't flaunt my tattoos in class and around campus, but the tatoos on my forearms are visible, and while they're a bit of a surprise to students during the first couple of weeks, after a while, they just ignore them. Although I do see students doodling on their arms or fingers every once in a while. And while I'd like to think that I'm inspiration for this yearning to be tattooed, I know that deep down inside, most people would get a tattoo if they had the money, the pain tolerance, and parental and social approval. Just look at the SIMS computer game. I've never played it, but every screenshot I've seen shows SIMS avatars sporting elaborate ink. Ah, to dream...
I have a come across a few brave souls, however, even in my own classes. In one class, two students got tattoos this semester, and one of them got hers at the tattoo artist I frequent. My student said that the tattoo guy asked her where I've been lately, since it's been a while since my last ink session.
I've also spotted a few of the more diva-inclined students sporting cute designs on their ankles or on their shoulder blades. More often than not, one will encounter these students staying outside the school gates long into the night, drinking, smoking, and chatting with douchebag-looking dudes, thus further solidifying their "bad" perception. But I don't judge.
I don't flaunt my tattoos in class and around campus, but the tatoos on my forearms are visible, and while they're a bit of a surprise to students during the first couple of weeks, after a while, they just ignore them. Although I do see students doodling on their arms or fingers every once in a while. And while I'd like to think that I'm inspiration for this yearning to be tattooed, I know that deep down inside, most people would get a tattoo if they had the money, the pain tolerance, and parental and social approval. Just look at the SIMS computer game. I've never played it, but every screenshot I've seen shows SIMS avatars sporting elaborate ink. Ah, to dream...
Kinda hard to hide these....
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