Getting inked on Friday the 13th isn’t as unlucky as you think

JACKIE MARQUEZ / OPINION EDITOR

Friday the 13th is upon us, and while this day of superstitions has historically been regarded as bad luck, it has brought good fortune to people who are looking to get a low-cost tattoo.

 In tattoo culture,  13 is considered to be a lucky number. Legend has it that if you have the number inked on your skin, then misfortune will pass you by. To celebrate this legend, many tattoo parlors offer discounted prices on “flash tattoos,” or pre-drawn tattoos, that customers can pick from, on Friday the 13th. 

Many tattoo-enthusiasts commemorate the infamous day by getting a pre-made design inked into their skin, but the concept is controversial. Oftentimes people oppose getting a flash tattoo, because it doesn’t have the significance they want. However, this shouldn’t stop you from getting a flash tattoo. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting a custom tattoo, tattoos don’t necessarily need a personal meaning. Instead the meaning can come from the experience of getting the tattoo, or your personal choice in displaying them. 

It’s incredibly common for people to get tattoos that are based on personal experiences, but you can get a tattoo for other reasons. According to a study done at the University of the Free State in South Africa, the primary reason people get tattoos is because of personal meaning. However, the study also reports that around 12% of people with tattoos get them as a way of expressing themselves aesthetically. 

When you get a tattoo as a way of   expressing  yourself, the meaning isn’t in the tattoo itself. Rather its significance comes from your appreciation of the artwork. In marking your body with a piece of art — simply because you like that art — you turn your body into a canvas of self-expression. As such, tattoos don’t need a specific personal connection to have meaning; their meaning can come from your enjoyment and display of them. When you get a flash tattoo that you like the look of, it may not have personal meaning, but it still has significance. 

Some people are afraid that if they commit to a tattoo that doesn’t have personal meaning they may regret it in the future. However, it’s often precisely this aspect of personal meaning that leads to regret down the line. Advanced Dermatology, a clinic specializing in tattoo removal, demonstrates this in their “Tattoo Regrets” infographic. In this infographic, the clinic reports that 31% of people who regret their tattoo, do so because they “don’t relate to its significance anymore.” Since flash tattoos aren’t designed with a specific meaning in mind, there is no significant meaning to outgrow. Sure, you may grow out of the look of the tattoo, but that can happen regardless of its meaning. 

Ultimately, a tattoo doesn’t need to be designed with a personal meaning in  mind to be worthwhile. You can get a tattoo, solely because you like how it looks, and it won’t necessarily lead to more regret than a custom tattoo. If you’re interested in getting a new tattoo and are brave enough to stray from the misconception that tattoos have to be meaningful, consider trying your luck with a flash tattoo on this week’s Friday the 13th.