March 23, 2022
Editor: Chava Makman
Artist: Molly Gold
Some of my first childhood memories consist of family road trips to South Carolina; all five of us would squeeze into our Jeep and drive for thirteen hours down the East coast. For the entirety of the trip, my headphones were shoved into my ears, and everytime my dad turned to ask me what I was listening to, my answer would remain unequivocally the same: Taylor Swift.
Growing up, I was embarrassingly obsessed and, by obsessed, I mean dressed up for halloween, posters hung up in my bedroom, crying to her lyrics obsessed. Now, Swift’s early music serves as an emblem to my childhood, and the simplicity that came with it. Everytime I feel nostalgic for my youth, turning on Fearless, and more particularly, the twelfth track of the album—The Best Day—brings me back to the fundamental things that matter to me: my family and the values they’ve instilled in me.
I’m five years old, it’s getting cold, I’ve got my big coat on.
In the first verse of her song, Swift recalls times of running through pumpkin patches with her parents, and falling asleep on the way home. I am reminded of the simplicity of my youth as young Swift expresses the joy she feels after spending time with her family. Growing up in a small suburban town, my family often had to get creative when it came to weekend activities. In the fall, we’d travel to the nearest farm, pick out pumpkins and carve them at home. When winter came, we watched Christmas movies, made popcorn, and sat by the fire to stay toasty warm. Finally, when we began to see the sun once again, we traveled to the pool and made up silly games (that definitely annoyed other swimmers) to keep us occupied. These memories are a simple conglomeration of sporadic childhood memories and, yet, watching my parents treat me with kindness from such a young age taught me the value in nurturing my relationships.
I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean.
Everyone hates middle school: a four year struggle through bullying, puberty, and academics. As a middle schooler with a special knack for internalizing her feelings, Swift’s second verse has always been my favorite. I loved how I could relate to the comfort she felt with her family—how, no matter what her “friends” had said to her during the day, she could come home and surrender to a peaceful, quiet escape. Mucch like Taylor, when I faced mean girls at school, I knew I could automatically fall into my safety net at home. Ultimately, Swift’s music has instilled unconditional benevolence within me, and her words have played as an anthem in my mind throughout middle school, high school, and now college; she reminds me to be humble and kind no matter who I encounter—and this includes myself—which is maybe the most important lesson of all.
As a freshman in college, life often feels like chaos. Change is inescapable in all realms; it soon becomes the only constant. In returning to my favorite songs from my childhood, I am reminded of who I am. Coming of age songs, such as Swift's, serve as the ultimate way to ground ourselves—they remind us that in order to grow, love, and blossom, we must stay strong in the roots that have made us who we are.