At the Chronicle, we constantly look into ways to keep the Pace population engaged and interested. This week we debut the Inked and Loving It column to share the beauty of students’ tattoos around campus. With many local tattoo shops around Pleasantville and newfound freedom, many students find college to be the perfect time to get tattoos.

Pace senior nursing major Anasia Campbell got her first tattoo at 18—two Chinese characters.

“When I first started, my favorite one was my two Chinese character letters meaning peace and prosperity,” Campbell said.

Now at age 24, Campbell has 10 tattoos with plans to have many more.

With her tattoo collection expanding, she found a new favorite for an old passion. Music inspires much of Campbell’s life. Despite the constant running around from being a nursing major, Campbell has been involved with Pace’s step team, the 808s, and runs the student org as its president.

The 808s mission is “to bring Pace University students together through a common interest of rhythm and moment” according to its OrgSync account. For Campbell, this fits perfectly into her tattoo.

During this past summer, Campbell got a treble clef mixed with a heart on the back on her neck to represent that. Though Campbell does not play any musical instruments, music has helped her cope with hardships in her life, she said.

Despite being a native New Yorker from Queens, Campbell used to get her tattoos done on shops at St. Marks Street in Manhattan, and only recently has she switched to tattoo shops in Queens. Campbell could not pick a specific tattoo shop as her go-to because she believes in exploring different tattoo shops as long as the shop has credible tattoo artists.

“Research your tattoos before you get them, and make sure you really want them because tattoos stay on for a lifetime. You don’t want to end up regretting them,” Campbell said to anyone at Pace who is considering the tattoo for the first time or even a new one.

If you are interested in having your tattoos featured or know someone with a tattoo to nominate for the Chronicle’s tattoo of the week, please email the Health Editor at [email protected]