People have been using tattoos to express themselves for hundreds of years. Clearly, this ancient practice is alive and well within the halls of Haven; where a community of teachers and seniors rock their ink.

From depictions of loved ones lost, to a triage of garden vegetables, to student-designed ink, some of Haven’s old guard and graduating class have tattoo journeys to share.

Many people view tattoos as a way to map the stories of their lives. For English teacher Mr. Kevin Haney, tattoos are a way to cope with grief.

“I went through a really horrific tragedy, [and] I was having difficulty coping with my buddy’s murder,” Haney said. “I didn’t want to seek out therapy, but I ended up going into the tattoo shop again, and I got something for my friend. I was still in a tough place but I found that there was something peaceful about being in that shop and getting that work done, there was something therapeutic about it.”

He also has tattoos dedicated to his deceased father and a student he was close with before her death.

“I was really tight with the kid, we had a special relationship, it broke me when she died,” Haney said. 

Many of science teacher Ms. Elisabeth Bomstein’s tattoos are inspired by her love of science — she even has the symbol for chemical equilibrium on her wrist. A pair of land and sea cows and fig wasp tattoos are some of her favorites. Next, she’s hoping to add a radish to match the celery and carrot tattoos on her leg.

“Something that makes me happy in science is examples of mutualism in nature,” Bomstein said. “The idea of things evolving together over thousands and thousands of years, that kind of harmony that exists in nature is incredible. It’s just this beautiful gift that we’re surrounded by every day.”

Bomstein also notes how one tattoo can quickly evolve into an entire collection. Her nature inspired assortment now spans 16 tattoos, including a large floral piece covering her back.

“Once you get one and you realize that you like it, you’re like, ‘Well, I have all these other open spots, and now I need to create balance,’” Bomstein said. “I was often a kid who, when I would mess up something on an art design, I would just keep adding to it. And I think my tattoos can be similar.”

While Bomstein’s tattoos don’t all have specific meanings, their main purpose is to make her happy.

“I spent a large portion of my life being a very unhappy person, and I do all that I can to surround myself with things that make me smile, even if they’re silly,” Bomstein said. “I put my kids’ art up, I put up things from students, I wear things that sometimes make me laugh. I feel the same with my tattoos.”

For English teacher Mr. Matthew Wood, tattoos serve both an aesthetic and emotional purpose. He cites a grayscale lighthouse as one of his favorites to look at, but a song title as one of the most meaningful.

“I have this script, ‘Love, Reign o’er Me,’ it’s one of my favorite songs,” Wood said. “I was at an angry place in my life when I got this and I was listening to that song, and ‘The Who’ a lot at that point, it was meant to be a message to myself to try and be less angry.”

Wood also notes society’s change in perception towards tattoos, referring back to when he was one of the only teachers at Haven with ink. According to Pew Research Center, 32% of all American adults now have at least one, and 56% of 18-29 year olds have one as well.

Haven seniors are among the community of young people embracing tattoo culture.

Senior Lilah Santore has a sentimental blueberry vine tattoo. Senior Eli Graves created a scorpion design. Each got their tattoo within three months of their 18th birthday.

For some, the idea of getting a tattoo that young might seem like an impulsive choice. But for many tatted teens, they get it as soon as they can because they’ve already thought it through and have been waiting for a long time. 

Santore and her mother have been planning a matching piece since Santore was in middle school.

“I’ve been planning mine since I was probably 12, and it’s a blueberry vine around my wrist,” Santore said. “My middle name is Blue, so my nickname growing up from my mom was Blueberry. I figured, I get it young, she gets it, and we get to wear it while I’m in college. It’s like a little bracelet. I look at my wrist and it’s like, ‘Oh my God, my mom has almost the exact same tattoo on her wrist.’”

Getting inked early can also contribute to the tattoo’s meaning. Graves emphasizes timing and memory as motivating factors towards his decision.

“It’s kind of like a stamp on a time in my life,” Graves said, “Even if I don’t really like it anymore, I’ll look back in 20 years and be like, ‘Hey, I was 18 when I got this, and that was such a big milestone of being an adult.’ I feel like it’s kind of a symbol of that for me.”

It’s accepted by all age ranges that it’s important to think before you act when it comes to tattoos. However, many people prioritize spontaneity and decisiveness as important steps on any tattoo journey. 

“Don’t overthink it too much,” Graves said. “I know that it’s going to be on your body forever, and that’s a really big thing, but I feel like overthinking it is when people get in the trap of waiting forever and then never getting it.”

The primary fear that most people have when it comes to tattoos is the fact that they are permanent. While tattoo regret is a concern, many emphasize storytelling, expression, and the journey rather than absolute perfection.

“I have scars and various marks, we all do, you acquire them throughout life, and they just become a part of you,” Bomstein said. “I thought, ‘Even if I end up hating it, it will be a part of me.’”