I was seven years old, lying in my best friend’s room, watching Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” music video on repeat. This was my introduction to Swift. At first, the singer did not stick out to me, but as time went on my love for Swift grew.

This past summer, two weeks before Taylor Swift took her Eras Tour to Chicago, I got a text from my friend saying that she had an extra ticket for Swift’s life-changing concert. 

My friend and I were overwhelmed with excitement at the concert. That night felt surreal and I am still in shock that I got a chance to see Swift perform. Getting to go to the concert with my best friend made it much more meaningful, strengthening our friendship. I plan to always hold onto the memories we made that night. 

Not only did Swift orchestrate these memories, she advocates for social justice, influences other artists, and makes fans feel like they have a sense of a community and connection. 

In one instance, my teacher told us that she liked John Mayer’s music, one of Swift’s exes. For the rest of class, my classmate and I discussed the meaning behind every lyric of the song, “Dear John,” a song Swift wrote about their breakup.

Swift’s storytelling about love, having doubts, and heartbreak allowed her fans to see a different part of her narrative. From dancing to her music, to crying, her songs give me a new way to look at life.

Her album Folklore, which was released during the pandemic, I connect with the most. Swift wrote the album in order to escape reality and to cope with tragedies around her; many teenagers, including myself, listened to the album for the same reasons.

Songs like “This Is Me Trying”, “Mirrorball”, and “Illicit Affairs”, all proclaim that trying to change yourself for others will make you look like an idiotic fool. They also teach lessons about betrayal and karma.

I paid close attention to the lyrics in these songs, gaining insight on how to be more aware of people trying to manipulate and hurt me. Swift additionally helped me build new relationships. 

It brings me peace, knowing that  people can understand one’s feelings just by connecting to a song. Swift writing her own songs makes them more authentic; I started to idolize her less, and started to see her as a human. Swift’s music helped me understand myself better; her songs make me feel human too.