Young adults need to show their coolness to the world. The modern youth culture has largely accepted the practice of applying permanent tattoos as a statement of independence and coolness. Some consider body piercings as a way of wearing jewelry. The students at UMBC choose to temper this type of outward demonstration of their individuality because they truly are "cool".
A stroll on the Boardwalk in Ocean City presents the opportunity to observe a bevy of tattoos, body piercings, and other outrageous styles that are sold as signs of coolness in today's generation. Casual observation of UMBC students along the paths, sidewalks, and other gathering places will lead one to determine that there are other ways to be cool. A discrete piercing or a fragment of a tattoo may be observed, but one rarely sees a student with a display of multiple tattoos or piercings. Visible are other subtle statements of personal differences: clothing, shoes, hats, backpacks, hairdos.
This dichotomy causes one to wonder: why the difference? Could it be the demographics? Does it make a difference if one is White, Black, Asian, Middle Eastern, or Latino? Could it be that the students here have already solved questions about their identity and their place in the world? Are they more mature and comfortable with who they are? Could they realize that the outward permanent displays including tattoos and piercings do not separate them from the masses, but instead places them in a group of followers instead of leaders? Are these students so focused on their career paths where such displays are not readily accepted and may hinder employment chances?
The students here are more self aware, focused, and more confident than the typical young adult on the Boardwalk. They choose not to wear the "uniform" that the "purveyors of cool" are pushing. This makes the students here "cooler" than the Boardwalk crowd.
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