Sophomore’s tattoos represent her friendship, spontaneity and ‘dancing feet’
Alexandra Moreo | Photo Editor
After never having gotten a tattoo before, Tyler Smith got three in less than a year. She uses her ink to represent who she is as a person and how her experiences have shaped her.
Tyler Smith had never gotten a tattoo, but in the past year, she got three.
The Syracuse University sophomore’s first tattoo, which is on the back of her neck, is of a lavender flower and sunflower intertwined.
“I got it with my soulmate of a person, Hunter, from back home,” Smith said.
Lavender is Smith’s spirit flower, and the sunflower is her friend’s. The tattoo symbolizes the two of them growing together in life.
Alexandra Moreo | Photo Editor
She decided on her second tattoo, the word “fun” scribbled on her wrist, in the spur of the moment while waiting in line for Chipotle Mexican Grill on Marshall Street. Smith was with her friend when she spontaneously decided to go down a few doors and get inked at Halo Tattoos.
“The line was out-of-this-world long and I was like, ‘There’s no way we’re getting Chipotle,”’ Smith said. “All of a sudden, this epiphany came out of nowhere, and I was like, ‘Let’s get tattoos instead.’”
Smith views herself as a fun person, which is why the tattoo appealed to her, she said.
“It’s a daily reminder that if I’m in a caca situation, I can just look down at my wrist and remember that there’s always a possibility of making it fun,” Smith said.
This past summer, Smith worked at a week-long inclusive summer camp for young adults with Down syndrome. It was a short experience, but one that left such an impact on her that she was inspired to get another tattoo.
“I gained so much perspective on inclusion and viewing people as the same,” Smith said. “A diagnosis can affect so many perceptions of a person, but truly everyone is human, and it made me really appreciate that.”
Throughout the camp, her roommate consistently told her she had dancing feet. She said they started and ended each day with a dance party.
Alexandra Moreo | Photo Editor
Smith said she got a tattoo of one of Keith Haring’s “dancing men” on her ankle to represent both the Down syndrome community and her upbringing as a competitive dancer for 16 years.
Smith said she takes pride in her varying tattoos because they all have a deep meaning.
Published on November 13, 2017 at 9:24 pm
Contact Raven: rarentas@syr.edu
