There is one thing that has been seen through the halls of North Atlanta but has not received the attention that it deserves. Tattoos.

Some tattoos are visible and flaunted while others are hidden but not forgotten. There are some seniors who have taken advantage of Georgia law – you can get inked when you turn 18 – and have elected to get a tattoo to mark the milestone.

Too young to get a tattoo? Neither parents nor school administrators might advocate this path, but some younger Warriors have bypassed the 18 age limit in Georgia and have made a trek to Alabama where laws about tattoos differ. In our neighboring state, 16-year-olds can get tattoos as long as they have parental consent. One student who’s done this is senior Delaney Dunn. “I have an ancestral Irish-Catholic cross on my ribs and both of my parents have it as well,” she said.

For some students, their reason behind getting a tattoo has a distinct sentimental meaning. Others just see something they like in a book or on others and want to replicate it. “I have a moon because when you are looking up at the moon, others are looking too and you’re not alone. When my dad got deported it meant that whenever I was looking at the moon, he was too,” said senior April Rodriguez.

Parents of some Warriors approve of the choice to get inked, but sometimes the kids have to hide their tattoos for an indefinite amount of time until they feel that their parents are ready to know.

Despite this, there are more than a few upperclassmen that have one or many tattoos, and maybe even some underclassmen. They each appreciate their art in their own way, but that doesn’t always mean it has to be shown. Some don’t choose to have a picture and instead opt to have words, like Olya Zwerner, senior, whose tattoo says “Keep Moving Forward.” “My tattoo is a constant reminder to focus on the good in life and stay positive,” said Zwerner.

While tattoos may not be for everyone, for those who make the choice to get them, it is a way to express who they are and what they stand for in a permanent way.

To ink or not to ink – that will have to be your question.