Luca

It began with an infinity sign on his hip. For senior Luca Ferrari, that initial tattoo — inked by his friend his sophomore year — was the first of a growing collection. Since then, he has added two red spiders to his hip, a quote running down his spine and a large spider lily around his ribs.

Luca said his first tattoo was intended to represent long-lasting friendship, though he said the amateur work looked more like a fish than an infinity symbol. 

As pieces became more professional, they also became more personal. The two red spiders on his hip, for example, symbolize his close bond with his sister. 

“She is so compassionate, and it’s always been important to her that I don’t kill spiders and bring them outside,” Luca said. “I make sure to remember that.”

Luca’s most painful tattoo was the large spider lily on his ribs. Taking four hours to complete, it represents rebirth and growth.

“Considering I’ve moved from London and now live on the other side of the world, it shows that I’ve really grown into a new person,” Luca said.

Apart from illustrations, Luca also has a quote on his spine that reads, “I adore you, the sound of your skin.” Inspired by a Bible verse, Luca said the line came from a London friend and carries the weight of their relationship. 

“I wouldn’t really be bothered if I wasn’t still in contact with them because I think it’s more about that moment in time,” said Luca. “And it’s a cool tattoo no matter what.”

Elaine

For senior Elaine Cho, the dragonfly tattoo on her hip, matching with her mother, serves as a tribute to their relationship. The design was inspired by her mother’s Chinese name, which includes a word meaning “dragonfly.”

“The dragonfly tattoo symbolizes change,” Elaine said. “But to me, it also means something deeper. It’s the connection between me and my mom.”

Although Elaine and her mother do not live together, the matching tattoo creates a sense of closeness between them.  

Looking back, Elaine said she wouldn’t change anything about her tattoo. While she encourages others to seek out a deeper meaning in their own tattoos, she also believes there is room to just have fun with body art. 

Elaine said she is considering more tattoos, including a liquified script design along her spine or a potential tribute to her father. 

Alvin

Senior Alvin Joseph Roquero said it was his mom’s idea for him to get a tattoo last May. She accompanied him and his sister to their appointments while in the Philippines, where he said he came up with a design somewhat on the spot. 

A wavy sun, similar to the sun on the Filipino flag, is now brandished on Alvin’s inner shoulder to represent his culture.  

“ I was like, ‘F*ck it I’ll steal that, and then I’ll put it on my shoulder,” Alvin said.

After pulling up a reference picture from Pinterest, Alvin said his tattoo artist sketched out a stencil, and two hours later, he walked out with fresh ink. On a scale from 1 to 10, Alvin ranked the pain a 7, comparing it to getting a shot at the doctor’s office.    

“I was looking straight ahead,” Alvin said. “Sometimes I’d look at it to see the progress. But then I had to lock in.”

Alvin said his tattoo was $20 — a deal compared to small tattoos from American artists, which are typically about $100.

That was all a year ago, when Alvin was 16 years old. Now, he said he doesn’t regret it, but wishes it were more hidden. 

“ Sometimes you be seeing on Instagram some 12-year-old kid has a tattoo,” Alvin said. “I feel dumb supporting that because they’re not developed enough to realize, ‘Oh, this is gonna be on me forever.’” 

Derek

Senior Derek Eltherington remembers the day he knew he wanted a tattoo, the same day his cousin and best friend Dylan died just before his junior year. So, this October, Derek got Dylan’s birthday tattooed on his forearm: March 11th, 2007.

“Before that [date], there was nothing that I thought I would want on my body for the rest of my life,” Derek said. “I love baseball, but I could hate baseball in a couple of years. This guy was my best friend, I’m gonna love him forever.”

Derek didn’t tell anyone in his family until after the ink was set, but he went with Dylan’s bereaved girlfriend, who got a similar in memoriam marking. Now, the Roman numerals brandished on his arm give him the opportunity to share Dylan’s story.

“Tattoos are a really cool way to express yourself,” Derek said. “I’m not amazing at expressing myself, but if somebody asks, I’m not gonna be sad about it. I’m gonna be like, ‘He was a great guy. He was my best friend.’”

Ironically, needles are Derek’s worst fear and he was in the chair for an hour and a half. 

“Everybody I know who had tattoos would say it’s addicting,” Derek said. “I do not find it addicting. That pain sucked — because needles suck.”

But to remember Dylan, he said it was worth it.

Besides the five months in between their births, Dylan and Derek were rarely ever apart. Derek said his cousin was more like a brother — growing up, they often had sleepovers during the week and went to Jeffrey’s Hamburgers on Sundays. Now, almost every Sunday, Derek still goes to Jeffrey’s.

“He raised me in a way,” Derek said. “He has that kind of personality that commands a room and people look to him.”

Dylan died by suicide. In response, his classmates created the Men’s Mental Health club and handed out green bracelets with the acronym “LLD”: Live Like Dylan. Derek said he always wears his bracelet and often fidgets with it when he’s thinking of Dylan. In fact, Derek has worn through 17 bracelets, recently opting for a blue version. 

“Nobody talks about [men’s mental health],” Derek said. “All they say is, ‘We can do better,’ but the thing we don’t do is check in on people.” 

In the many ways Derek has chosen to honor Dylan besides getting a tattoo, the small rituals matter the most. 

Recently, Derek said he found a five-year-old voicemail with no caller ID. The message captures an 8th grade Dylan wishing Derek well after a biking accident that put him in the hospital. Now, whenever Derek needs to hear Dylan’s voice, he replays the message.

Despite being less than a year apart, Derek said he always looked up to Dylan. Dylan had two jobs to save up for a car, so Derek started his own side hustle putting up Christmas lights. Now he has his truck to show for it. When Derek goes to bat, he draws a “2” in the dirt — the number on his jersey that once matched Dylan’s water polo cap.

“He always could put a smile on people’s faces, no matter what mood you were in,” Derek said.

If you or anyone you know are struggling with thoughts of self harm or suicide, help is available. Call or text 988 for the Suicide Hotline or refer to the MVLA Student Referral Form.