Dominique Barrett
Junior Olivia Andrews has been through a lot since her freshman year here at MC. After finally winning her battle against self-harm and her eating disorder, Andrews felt the need to celebrate. So two years ago she got a tattoo to symbolize emerging from her struggles.
“I got it because I grew up by the ocean and it says, ‘I am the ocean’ and for when I was in recovery for my eating disorder,” Andrews said. “The ocean represents new comings, refreshing, and rebirth, so I figured since I am the ocean, I can renew myself and overcome this.”
Andrews’ petite tattoo is located on her upper rib cage and it encourages her to continue to be the best she can be.
“I can forget about it and move on and become someone better and new. The ocean is always mixed but it always becomes new, like how I can become a better person.”
For Andrews, her tattoo is more about her story and the memories it provokes.
“I like it, it’s really cute and kind of messed up but I have good memories with it,” Andrews said. “My friend, who did it, is a really close friend of mine and I was just laughing a lot when I was getting it done because it tickled so I messed up the ‘e’. So it’s kind of funny, that I messed it up myself.”
For Andrews this is her first and only tattoo so far, but as for the future, she plans to continue to ink her body.
“I’m probably going to get a tattoo for my birthday this year of the tree of life on my thigh because I have a lot of self-harm scars there and I need to cover them up because it’s embarrassing when I go to the beach and the tree of life represents living, life and the beauty of it and nature and being one with the earth,” Andrews said. “And then I’m going to get the solar system on my side and the celestial sun and moon and some flowers because those are my favorite and a lot more.”
