Don't get tattooed for the 'gram... Just don't.
There are plenty of good reasons to get tattooed. Whether you're memorializing someone, commemorating a life-changing event, or just want to collect artwork on your skin. Plenty of people just get tattooed because they think having ink is cool, and that's a totally acceptable decision too.
However, the world is full of some incredibly dumb people, and plenty of people make extremely poor choices as to what tattoo they want and why they want it. As a general rule of thumb, you should sit on a tattoo idea for a while before you have it permanently etched into your skin, but here's a checklist of reasons why you shouldn't get your first tattoo (or others, but people usually get smarter about them as time goes on).
You're in a Hyper-Emotional State
It should go without saying that you shouldn't make any life-altering decision when you don't have a clear mind, but people do it all the time anyway. Whether you're blinded by love and end up getting a significant other's name inked on you (please don't, under any circumstances) or super upset and go for something you'll regret as soon as you calm down, it's generally not a good idea to let temporary feelings decide permanent markings. Go ahead and get a tattoo to mark a relationship (or the end of one) if you want to, but make sure it's something that'll hold true for years to come rather than just in that exact moment. Wait until your emotions have settled down before choosing out that next tattoo design, or go with something you know will never come back to haunt you.
You Just Turned 18
Getting a tattoo on or immediately after your 18th birthday might seem like a cool rite of passage thing (and it can be), but that doesn't mean you should just walk into a shop on the big day and get the first thing that crosses your mind. If you ask anyone over the age of 20, the 18-year-old version of yourself probably has some really great ideas... and some really terrible ones. That's not to say you shouldn't get tattooed as a teenager, but just don't get tattooed for the sole reason that you're legally allowed to now. As you should with any tattoo, do your research and make sure you pick the right artist for your desired design. Also, it's probably not a bad move to get that first one somewhere you can cover with basic clothing, just in case you decide being visibly tattooed isn't really all it's cracked up to be.
Your Friends Are Doing It
It's easy to get sucked into the social aspect of tattoos. Your friends are getting tattooed, they're going to each other's tattoo appointments (even though it makes them look ridiculous to walk into a shop with a crowd of people), and they spend all of their free time talking about tattoos and artists either in real life or on Instagram. That doesn't mean you need to get tattooed too. If it's not something that you're seriously interested in, hold off on it. After all, tattoos are so commonplace these days that you'll actually be the rare person without ink rather than one of the thousands with it. As the great Kobe Bryant would probably say, "Friends come and go, but tattoos last forever."
On a related note, if someone says they know a guy who'll hook you up with a good deal on a tattoo, you should be super suspicious. Except on very rare occasions, good work ain't cheap, and cheap work ain't good.
You Want to Look Cool on Social Media
There are people out there who will get a tattoo on their hand, face, or somewhere else super visible just to look cool in their Instagram posts. That's perhaps the dumbest thing you could possibly do for one of your first tattoos. You can still use "#tattooed" or whatever it is you want to do with a small easy-to-cover piece, and it likely won't be something you'll regret down the line when tattoos get less trendy or your less concerned about your social media presence. Letting Pinterest be the driving force behind your desire to get some ink is pretty silly as well, but it's not nearly as bad as being the soccer mom with an embarrassing forehead tattoo in a decade. Keep in mind that while social media trends and the popularity of tattooing will undoubtedly change in the future, getting that ink out of your skin will require a lot of money and quite a bit of pain.
You're Drunk
Seriously, it's dangerous to get tattooed while intoxicated. Aside from ending up with a potentially terrible tattoo, it can also add other complications. Tattoos can hurt pretty badly, but you should still be sober when you go in to get yours.
