What do actor Pete Davidson, US science teachers Mark Lichaj and Scarlett Sun, US government teacher Bryce Beschorner, and Coach Jared Connaughton all have in common? It might not be what you think. The answer: tattoos!
Since the early 2000s, tattoos have become more and more popular. There seems to be someone with a tattoo everywhere you go, whether it be big or small. There is almost always a story behind the tattoos.
Here at Fort Worth Country Day, there are several upper school faculty members with tattoos, including Beschorner.
“It really is a piece of art, I think,” Beschorner said. “For me it’s the meaning behind it…almost all of mine have some sort of family connection, so it’s a nice reminder.”
He has three tattoos that all relate to his family. A book that reminds him of his grandma, roses for his sister and grandma, and a matching cross with his mom and sister, all of which help him feel a little bit closer to home. Beschorner is from Algonquin, Illinois and went to the University of Kentucky where he earned his PhD in political science and government. Now living in Fort Worth, Texas, Beschorner is a long way from home, but he uses his tattoos as a way to feel closer to his family.
Lichaj, a chemistry teacher at FWCD and head of the science department, also has tattoos that relate to his family.
“When me and my brothers were little, we came up with a code word that was our names like an acronym. Mark, Eric, Andrew, and Lady (our dog’s name),” Lichaj said. “Whenever we wanted to do something we wouldn’t want our parents to know, we would be like ‘MEAL!’”
Originally, all three siblings agreed they would get the tattoo; however, Lichaj’s brothers backed out, and 16 years later he is still the only one with “MEAL” inked into his skin.
If you have ever met Lichaj, it is no surprise that he has science-related tattoos, too.
“I have a tree whose trunk is like a DNA helix. Just the idea of evolution and DNA connecting all living things interested me,” Lichaj said,
Sun, a biology teacher, has tattoos that are Japanese-inspired because that is where her family is from. She also has flowers for some of her family members. One of the main reasons for some of her tattoos is that it makes her feel better about the way she looks.
“After getting tattoos, I gained a lot more body confidence, and I liked myself a lot more,” Sun said.
She also added that she thinks tattoos give people more confidence in who they are, and many times associate their tattoos as a big part of their identity.
For Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach Connaughton, a big influence was music. He loves certain punk bands and has tattoos inspired by their music.
But the one that most students see and recognize is his Olympic rings tattoo. If you look close enough, however, you can see that it is asymmetrical and doesn’t look exactly like the actual rings. He said that he had his two sons draw it and that it represents his experience in the Olympics. Connaughton participated in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, running in the four by 100 meter and 200 meter races. He ran for Team Canada.
When asked about what advice they would give someone wanting to get a tattoo, they all said that it is important to wait until you are absolutely certain you want the tattoo. It is extremely important to recognize that tattoos are permanent and will be inked into your skin for the rest of your life. Tattoo removal processes are very costly and can be even more painful than the actual tattoo. Plus, removals are not always guaranteed to work entirely. The legal age to get a tattoo in Texas without parental consent is 18.
It is also important to know what you are looking for in a tattoo before you get it. There doesn’t have to be any meaning behind it, but knowing what you want and dedicating time to the decision will help prevent regret in the future.
Beschorner and Connaughton also added that tattoo care is extremely important. If you don’t care for the tattoo properly, it could lead to fading and infection.
Sun also shared that she is very introverted, so sometimes the tattoos keep people at bay.
“One thing that the tattoos I now have help out with is like if I’m at the gym, people don’t really necessarily talk to me because they’re like ‘oh, scary!’” Sun said. “The reaction is kind of funny, though, when I do interact with people over my tattoos.”
