Estela Ortiz steps into a grungy building surrounded by the noise of buzzing needles. Staring at the artwork on the wall, the junior chose the tattoo that would remain on her body for the rest of her life.

“I’ve always thought tattoos were cool and always planned on getting one,” Ortiz said.

At the age of 16, Ortiz got her first tattoo of a TX across her upper chest. Within a month, she had four.

“I got it because I was raised in Texas,” Ortiz said. “I also lived in Texas all my life.”

A weekend passed and she ended up in the parlor shop picking out her next tattoo, the name Jose on the middle of her forearm.

“Jose is my dad’s name,” Ortiz said “He has always been there for me each and every moment that I needed him by my side.”

Ten days later, Ortiz decided to get cherries on her thigh. This tattoo was a gift for her 17th birthday.

“I wanted to get the cherries because I always thought it would look cute,” Ortiz said.

Despite their permanence, Ortiz wanted more than three tattoos. She received her fourth and last tattoo, two guns pointing together on her lower back, less than a week after her previous one.

“The reason why I picked the guns is because I think it represents a symbol for strength and life,” Ortiz said.

According to Ortiz, her Texas tattoo and the tattoo of her father’s name hold meaning to her, while the others remain scars of a spur-of-the-moment decision. Junior Xavier Aponte, a classmate of Ortiz, does not support tattoos with no meaning behind them.

“I think they are just stupid and they are a waste of ink,” Aponte said. “Think before you ink.”

According to Aponte, all of his tattoos mean something. He has five and plans to receive his sixth within a year. Aponte has a tattoo of Love on one wrist and Pain on the other.

“Every time you go through love you experience pain at the same time,” Aponte said.

Aponte adores Air Jordan shoes and owns a collection of the shoes. He has the Jordan symbol tattooed onto this left shoulder.

“Air Jordans were my first pair of shoes,” Aponte said. “My big brother died and I started collecting Jordans.”

On his opposite shoulder, Aponte has the phrase, “Nothin to a boss.”

“It’s a motto, and I also make sure that I am the boss,” Aponte said.

Aponte’s final tattoo carries significance to him because it’s of his brother.

“I treat him like he is my son,” Aponte said.

Aponte’s parents, whose permission the law required, made him take careful consideration to ensure the tattoo was the one he wanted.

“The 18-year-old thing is a bad rule,” Aponte said “If you want it then it should be your choice to be able to get it.”

When considering his next tattoo, he wants to make sure the colors stay neutral.

“All the colors of my tattoos are black and white because all I see is black and white,” Aponte said.