In a seemingly similar world, the act of standing out from other people is important for young adults, including many at UW-Whitewater. According to a 2006 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 36 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 25 had at least one tattoo. For freshman Emma Hagen, her tattoo experience was anything but ordinary. Hagen began the tattoo process at Fink Ink in downtown Whitewater by getting a cherry blossom tattooed on her left wrist. While in Japan, Hagen had her tattoo retouched and added the word “Sakura,” the Japanese translation for cherry blossom, to her wrist.

It’s usually at 10 years old when kids start daydreaming about what it’s like to be a teenager. They just can’t wait for the milestone marking the first time to finally be able to say they’re 13. But for UW-Whitewater junior Skye Shaffer, turning 13 was about more than just the number. Turning 13 for Shaffer meant she was finally able to practice the art of tattooing. “It’s been what I’ve wanted to do since I could talk,” Shaffer said. All her life, Shaffer has been surrounded by people and places that are all about tattoos. Since she was a child, Shaffer said she has accompanied her parents to tattoo conventions all over the country. “A lot of her life experiences have made her more mature than others her age,” said Shaffer’s dad, Chuck “Cherokee Chuck” Shaffer .