Monstrous ink: The best and worst of student tattoos

Once upon a time, tattoos used to be firmly established as a deviant practice, solely to be used by sailors, prisoners and women of the night.

But now anyone can get a tattoo.

We scoured a few of Britain’s universities to find the best, the funniest and the most unique tattoos. And a few shit ones. Here’s what we found.

University: Cardiff

Tattoo: Rory (in Elvish)

Location: Wrist

Why: One day this guy was sunbathing in his mates garden, they were bored and decided to either play golf or go get tattoos. Once they had decided on tattoos, this guy decided to get his name, in Elvish, tattooed on his wrist. #YOLO

University: Sussex

Tattoo: Bünti (made up word)

Location: Chest

Why: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life gives you Jägermeister get made up words tattooed on your chest.  Bünti means literally nothing, but in Malia 2011 it kind of sounded like the beat of generic house music, and what better an onomatopoeia to get tattooed on oneself (is it even an onomatopoeia?). But when he got back home he found out that in Belgium, Bünti & Sons is a well respected carpentering firm. In Pakistan Bünti is a cartoon talking polar bear. And in certain parts of Bavaria, Bünti is slang for ‘coloured person’. Oops.

University: Edinburgh

Tattoo: Dostoyevsky

Location: Arm

Why: Have you ever loved a dead-Russian-19th century-novelist-with epilepsy-and a serious gambling habit so much that you just couldn’t live anymore without him tattooed on your arm? No? Well this guy really wanted it. So he got it. And what?

University: Lincoln

Tattoo: I <3 Fat Nick

Location: Arse

Why: Drunk in Ibiza

University: Aberdeen

Tattoo: Make your own rules

Location: Shoulder

Why: Because YOLO

University: Newcastle

Tattoo: Wayne Rooney’s name

Location: Bum

Why: Wayne was gonna win us the World Cup when I got this in 2010. He subsequently played shit, cheated on his wife with hookers and handed in a transfer request. Cheers Wazza.

University: Brighton

Tattoo: Joely in Paris

Location: Bum

Why: Because he loves his friend Joel so very much. And they love the song ‘Niggas In Paris’ even more.

University: Leeds

Tattoo: Hot Air Balloon

Location: Chest

Why: Because if you don’t like Up, you obviously have no soul.

University: Exeter

Tattoo: Pikachu

Location: Arm

Why: Because Pokémon is cool and it always will be, obviously

University: Durham

Tattoo: A Mexican chili pepper leaning on a bottle of herbal liqueur

Location: Arse

Why: We have absolutely no idea

University: Aberdeen

Tattoo: Penguin floating away with a balloon

Location: Underboob

Why: Because penguins are fucking cute, and someone paid me a tenner.

University: Sussex

Tattoo: Buddy Christ

Location: Arm

Why: This satirical Jesus could represent the relationship between the subject and their breakaway from an indoctrinated Catholic education that ultimately ended in expulsion. Or it could just look funny. You decide.

University: Exeter

Tattoo: Timepiece

Location: Arm

Why: Because Timepiece is a popular club in Exeter and this tattoo’d gal loves the lash

University: Plymouth

Tattoo: The guy you play as from the original Pokémon

Location: Leg

Why: “I play a lot of Pokemon on my Game Boy. Pokemon is awesome. So why the hell not?”.

University: Brighton

Tattoo: 26

Location: Knee/Ankle/Wrist

Why: They’ve had sex with 26 people? No. They’ve killed 26 people? No. These guys all got the number ’26’ tattooed on them, because in their first year at university they all lived in flat 26.

University: Stirling

Tattoo: William Wallace Monument

Location: Leg

Why: After living in Stirling for a year, Will decided that the best way of remembering his love of the city forever would be to tattoo a reminder of it to his leg. Stirling-aholic Will told The Tab that “no other places have influenced or shaped me as a person as much as my year in Stirling.”

For more from The Tab, like our Facebook and follow our Twitter.