I've spent nearly 30 hours getting tattooed over the past year. Here are 8 things I pack to make long appointments more bearable.

While I got my first tattoos at 18, I started working on the beginnings of my sleeve in May 2022. The sleeve is something of an homage to my family and home state of Montana: It's comprised of a rattlesnake, a blue bird, and flowers. In total, my artwork has cost me upwards of $2,000, and I still plan to do more.

While I've visited a number of different tattoo parlors over the past year, many of my tattoos have been done at Atelier Eva, a studio in Brooklyn that specializes in fineline pieces.

I arrived at my first appointment, a roughly four-hour session working on my inner arm, with minimal preparation: just a design, some money, and a rush of adrenaline.

With such little planning, my first go-round was more uncomfortable than it needed to be — so I've since curated a list of items that I bring to each appointment to make it more bearable.

Because all of my tattoos from the past year have been on my arms, I arrive at each appointment with clothing that allows the artist to easily access the area.

For me, that's meant wearing a black, one-shouldered Zara top that just happens to leave my left arm bare. For tattoos in other areas, I'd arrive in loose, flowy clothes that make it easy for the artist to do their job.

I also wear an outfit I'm sure to feel comfortable in for the next few hours — which is usually sweatpants.

Bonus tip: Wear dark colors. As the artist wipes away excess ink, there's a chance it could stain if it gets on your clothing.

Because I come wearing a one-shoulder tank top, I get pretty chilly throughout the day and like to bring a sweater or flannel. The key is that it's loose enough that I can at least cover half of my body while keeping my left arm and shoulder exposed.

I pack layers even in the summer because I've found that the air conditioning can quickly get uncomfortable when you're sitting in one place for hours on end.

An eight-hour appointment is the perfect time to catch up on my favorite Netflix shows, so I typically download several episodes to have ready that day. I usually do this the night before, so I don't have to worry about whether a studio's WiFi is strong enough for streaming.

During my last session, I was able to cruise through a handful of episodes of "Love Island USA," which distracted from the discomfort of being poked at for hours straight.

I almost always have my AirPods on me, but they come in especially handy while at the studio so I can listen to music or watch a show without disrupting the people around me.

I like to keep just one headphone in, so I can chat with my artist throughout the day.

Tattooing is exhausting. I started getting tattoos in college, so I knew what kind of pain to expect — but I didn't understand the broader toll it would take until I left my first hours-long appointment feeling a bit dizzy, nauseous, and fatigued.

Feeling nauseous and lethargic after an appointment is sometimes referred to as the "tattoo flu," which can happen when your body is working to fend off what it perceives as a threat — like a needle poking your skin for eight hours straight.

To keep these uncomfortable symptoms at bay, I bring a large bottle of water to sip on throughout the day, as well as a drink replete with electrolytes. Lately, I've been buying Gatorade's "Gatorlyte" drink, which comes packed with ingredients like sodium and potassium for re-hydration.

On a typical day, I eat a snack or meal every few hours. So when I didn't bring anything to eat during my first appointment, I left feeling absolutely famished — and it taught me to plan ahead for every appointment thereafter.

In addition to eating a meal before heading into the studio, I also pack a few treats to eat throughout the day. My favorite tattoo-day snacks are Clif Bars and dried fruit or fruit snacks, which I take time to eat when I need a break.

Depending on the size and scope of your artwork, you and your artist will spend a lot of time in close quarters — so it's important to make the experience as comfortable as possible for both of you.

Because I brave New York's sticky, humid weather to get to each of my appointments, I always toss a stick of deodorant into my bag to apply before we get started. Even in cooler months, I've found it's always good to keep some on hand.

Tattooing is a service, and as with any service, it's good practice to leave a tip.

The topic of tipping a tattoo artist has generated a lot of discourse online, including on Reddit and TikTok, where some artists have said that while tipping isn't necessarily expected, it is appreciated.

As such, I plan to bring between 15% and 20% as a "thank you" to the artist and the work they put into giving me a permanent piece of art.