By Celica Cook, SBM Student Life Editor
Senior computer and information science major Rebekah McClelland has a tattoo with her mother’s handwriting. How much more personal could a tattoo possibly be? Her mother has forever left her mark on her daughter’s skin. It’s a beautiful tribute to the special mother and daughter relationship that will be with McClelland forever.
What tattoos do you have?
“I have a sunflower on my left bicep, and underneath it says, ‘you are my sunshine, love you Mom’ in my mom’s handwriting.”
What does that mean to you?
“My mom and I are very close. She’s my best friend and she always used to sing ‘You Are My Sunshine’ to me when I was little. So, that was always really important to me growing up. I know I kind of wanted to remember that forever.”
What did your Mom think about your tattoo? Was it sentimental for her?
“She was a little unsure at first just because none of her kids had any tattoos ever, so she was a little scared about it. She practiced her handwriting for weeks. She wanted her handwriting to be perfect. She was really happy with how it turned out though.”
How does your tattoo help you to express some part of yourself?
“I like to tell people that I view bodies as blank canvases. Some people choose not to decorate theirs, or to color theirs in, but I want to make my canvas as me as possible.”
What is your advice to someone getting their first tattoo?
“Definitely think about it for a while. I’ve been thinking about this tattoo since I was 17, and I’m 22 now. The more I thought about it, the more I got excited to get it. I feel like that build-up is also really important, along with wanting to be sure it’s what you want.”