Almost every little girl patiently waits for the day that she can get her very first pair of earrings. Most college-aged girls probably remember
the day they headed to their local mall with their parents to get diamond earrings pierced into their tiny earlobes.
However, for many people, the one-on-each ear piercing can get quite boring after a while.
Why just have one set when there are multiple body parts available for some extra jewelry?
Men and women of all ages can be found nowadays with piercings up and down their ears, on their nose, belly button, eyebrow and even lip.
There certainly is nothing wrong with getting a little creative about the placements of body bling. However, those with piercings know that there are a lot of negative stereotypes out there about those with multiple piercings. Additionally, there can be a certain amount of pressure on people to take their piercings out for school, jobs or any type of professional setting.
Many Cabrini students know there is a certain amount of judgment that gets passed around on those who choose to get some extra body bling.
Elyse Adams graduated from Cabrini in 2014. Adams had a total of nine piercings at one point during her time at the college.
Even with eight holes on her ears and one on her nose, Adams never felt pressure to take any of them out for school or work.
“I never felt the pressure,” Adams said. “I was a little concerned when I got certain piercings, like my nose, but even then I never took it out.”
Adams believes no one should feel pres- sure to take out their piercings in any scenario. Additionally, she feels that people should be able to keep any piercings they want to in, but they should do this within reason.
“I do think it is fair for certain areas of work that are of more professional nature to deny certain piercings,” Adams said. “But, if your career field is suitable for piercings, by all means, pierce away.”
Sophomore, human resources major, Erin Roche feels similarly to Adams.
Roche has had her nose pierced for a year and completely understands why some areas of work may frown upon multiple piercings.
“I have had a few interviews for jobs and internships where I was told beforehand to take it out,” Roche said. “I have had to put a clear cover over the piercing in the past just because I do not want it to close up.”
With just one piercing that she definitely plans on taking out someday for more serious intern- ships and jobs, Roche says it is enough for her.
“I don’t think I want any more,” Roche said. “One is enough.”
People with unique body piercings know about the judgments and stereotypes people place on those with some extra body bling.
Roche says she has definitely gotten some negative feedback since having her nose pierced.
“I’ve found that older people are definitely against it,” Roche said. “For example, my grand- parents do not like it at all.”
Roche has even found her friends’ parents judging her or asking her why she would get something like that done.
Adams did not get any negative comments or feedback about her piercings, until a big day came along.
“My mom did make me remove the hoop that I had on my nose for my wedding,” Adams said. “I took some offense to that at first, but in the end I am happy I switched to a stud for it.”
From a professional standpoint, professors here at Cabrini also have their opinions on piercings.
Colleen Poole is the field experience coordinator for the teacher education department here at Cabrini.
Field experience is a program designed for education majors to go out to elementary, middle or high school classrooms once a week to get hands-on teaching experience.
Poole talks to the students every semester about their appearance and how they should plan to dress every week when they go out to their classroom. Piercings is often a topic that Poole finds she needs to enforce.
“Education is typically more conservative than other fields,” Poole said. “As a department, we go over the dress code every semester and we’ve always had the same rules for piercings.”
Poole says students are allowed one earring on each ear and a very small second one, if they have one. Any tongue, eyebrow or nose piercings need to be removed and any gages need to be covered up.
“Part of this rule is for the Cabrini students’ professional appearance and part of it is because we don’t want their piercings distracting the students they are working with,” Poole said. “If the student gets distracted by the piercing, their learning is also going to be distracted.”
Poole has not seen any extreme backlash over the years when she has had to enforce this rule.
“Students will often ask me why they have to take them out or if they really have to,” Poole said. “But they always do take them out. I think the bigger issue is that they are not always comfortable taking some of them out, but they do always follow the rules.”
Poole believes having rules such as these in place are good for students now, before they head out into the professional world.
“If I was sitting across the desk interviewing someone who had a lot of piercings, I would try hard to look past them and see the person’s qualifications,” Poole said. “That’s just me though and I know that other employers would not be the same way. Some people are very stuck in their ways.”
Although Poole is more accepting and willing to look past some body jewelry, she does believe there is a fine line.
“Extensive or overwhelming piercings would definitely be a deterrent from a job,” Poole said. “For those who are willing to get extensive piercings, it can begin to ask the question of what kind of statement they are trying to make and if there are underlying issues there.”
Whether students want to rock multiple piercings on their ears and a tongue ring or just stick with the traditional one on each ear, there is certainly something to think about in terms of professional appearance and how others would perceive it.
