#i know high schoolers put on a big song and dance about how edgy they are and how they can handle seeing any fucked-up shit

[arielmagicesi]

ugggghhh ok so I’m reading some books to prep for my student teaching in the fall, the ones that my host teacher knows are likely to be in the curriculum, and first of all why is it a thing that high schoolers are made to read Contemporary Lit Fic that can be summed up as “how many gory explicit descriptions of traumatic abuse can we fit into one book”, like every year it’s just One Standard Shakespeare Play, One Twentieth-Century American Classic, throw in some other shit, and Somebody’s Fucked-Up Memoir From A Decade Or So Ago. Are there any contemporary books that are good but NOT traumatizing? If not, I’m happy to stick to classic lit personally

ANYWAY so I’m reading this book to prep for the fall and I ended up skimming the whole latter 3/4 or so of the book to spoil it for myself so the suspense wouldn’t kill me, and now I’m up late despite being super tired because my brain is just cycling through every horrific thing in the book, plus the reviews I read online, some of which are insanely saying shit like “wah wah, get over it, stop whining, we all had rough times in our childhood” and I’m like... Am I the softest, most naive baby on the planet for reacting to this horrific memoir by feeling bad for the author and thinking that maybe we don’t need to be making high schoolers read this? I’m not saying it’s not well-written- it is well-written, and well-structured, but Jesus Christ.

(also why are we allowed to make students read horrifying memoirs of abuse but god forbid they know that slavery happened in this country, but that’s a different issue altogether)

so yeah I now have managed to make my entire evening about Trying And Failing To Get Some Images Out of My Head, which sucks because I had a LOVELY day and was looking forward to some well-earned sleep, and also I’m gonna have to go back and read the entire book so that I’m able to teach it properly and know all the literary devices in it and shit. Cool cool cool

[drtswift]

Glowing up with Taylor

So, hear me out here. I’m usually never up this late, but I can’t stop listening to Reputation.

Here I describe how Taylor’s discography has helped me glow up over the past 10 years. To preface things, Taylor is 4 years older than me. Thinking about song-writing, though, she probably wrote these within 2 years of releasing the album, which only places them 2 years away from me. Basically, when each album was released we were only talking about a 2 year contextual difference.

Taylor Swift (2006): young Taylor singing about your standard teenage issues. I mean, does anything scream teenage heartbreak like “Picture to Burn?” When people actually printed out photos and could burn them. The whole album is a teenage anthem, ending with “Our Song” to describe that puppy love desire to have something special in a relationship that probably won’t matter in the long run. Honestly I wasn’t super into country music, but hey, “Our Song” was catchy.

Fearless (2008): High school freshman/sophomore Kayla was JUST starting to get that she looked like Taylor, and if Fearless isn’t one of the records that sticks with me the most. Cue buying cowboy boots and wearing sundresses because WWTD? “Hey Stephen” is the perfect song for that first high school boyfriend. “Hey Stephen I could give you 50 reasons why I should be the one you choose. Those other girls, well they’re beautiful, but would they right a song for you? *insert flirty giggle*” I was in guitar club my freshman and sophomore year of high school, so that lyric totally stood out to me. Making new friends in a big high school is soooo “Fifteen.” “You’re Not Sorry” for getting dumped by the guy who gave you your first kiss.... I mean, Fearless is the most relatable album for a high schooler, and I was no different. Also, this year Taylor came to Charleston for her concert, and I definitely got followed around the mall by a group of 8 year olds the day after the concert because they thought I was her. Honestly, this is where the obsession began.

Speak Now (2010): I was a junior/senior at a boarding school where I got a taste of freedom that would be reminiscent of Taylor’s season of life at this point. “Dear John” gave me the confidence to confront the guy who dumped me, and “Better Than Revenge” was shamelessly blasted from my dorm room because the girl he dumped me for lived on my hall 🤷🏼‍♀️. This season of my life was when I actually got vocal about things that went on in my life. “Enchanted” was my anthem when I met a new guy at none other than our back-to-school dance. I mean, it couldn’t have been more fitting. I blasted it in my dorm and danced around the room. “Last Kiss” is still one of the saddest, realest T Swift songs. Whenever I was dumped I bawled like a baby to this song. It’s still a go-to break up song when the wound is still fresh. I was still rocking the cowboy boots and sundresses, curling my hair... Speak Now is the anthem of my last two years of high school, spending more time upset with boys than I should’ve been, but that doesn’t make the emotions any less real.

Red (2012): Freshman/sophomore year of college in a different state was me spreading wings. “I Knew You Were Trouble” was literally about every single guy I was interested in my freshman year. THERE WERE JUST SO MANY BOYS EVERY WHERE, SUE ME. “State of Grace” is so carefree and confident in the face of any relationship. I stepped into my own in college. I was me because I liked me, and I was having fun in a whole new place. Being real with emotions, and having a few (okay okay, a lot) good cries to “All Too Well,” which I will still have occasionally. “Treacherous” is so passionate about breaking the rules, and being daring. These songs gave me the confidence I needed to tell a guy that I was into them, and what’s the worst that can happen? He’ll say no? But at least I did it. Red also took me to Europe for a summer of carefree living, where “Holy Ground” could’ve just as easily been about a dreamy Italian stranger as someone I’ve been interested in forever. The drift into a new genre of pop music, with ties to her roots really just screams of being adaptable and fun. “Begin Again” music video also took place in Paris, so I was able to swoon over the streets I was living in for that summer.

1989 (2014): My First year of graduate school. Another new town, and another shift for Taylor. She went from innocent to edgy. I purchased leather leggings because of 1989 because if Taylor can transition into sexy, so can I. “Blank Space” is still my anthem because who gives a crap what people say about your relationships. You can just make fun of them for it. Songs about failed relationships turned into suggestive anthems about her men being a fashion accessory “Style” and fleeting “Out of the Woods”, and that’s okay. Getting rid of old guys that have tainted every artifact of your life in “Clean,” and runnjng away with a guy because you don’t want the general public to spread false nonsense about you. That relationships can be privately sexy 😉 and that beat in “I Know Places” is a secretive sexy that makes a new relationship fun and exciting.

Reputation (2017): The rumors never stop, and when you get out of a long-term relationship people have to pull these crazy accusations from left field. People can say whatever they feel like, and you can write a song and put them back in their place. I️ mean, the genius that went into “LWYMMD” is impeccable. I’m a research scientist, but “LWYMMD” is some next level genius stuff. People want to paint this crazy picture of you? Fine, give them what they want, but you come out as the winner. “Look what you made me do...” I released a number one over night that sounds nothing like my old stuff, but my true fans still love me and make me who I am. Playing into people’s rumors and making money off of it is the ultimate jab. Like, let your success be the nail in someone else’s coffin. “Delicate” where she’s just being real about her attraction to a guy. “Is it too early for me to say that I’m into you? Oh well, I am, so I’m going to say it anyway.” Acknowledging her image (Reputation) in “I Did Something Bad,” and then OWNING the heck out of it. The sexy openness of “Dress.” Like man, that song is so honest, which makes it so hot. And can I say, I’m super thankful for that acoustic ballad “New Year’s Day.” Transitions with a guy through the party and into the new stage of her life. He’s helping her pick up the pieces. It’s beautiful, and the perfect ending to the album of rumors on her Reputation.

@taylorswift thank you for the years of songs that have helped me grow and process my current events. I love how we’re so close in age so that you were my current age when you were writing the songs. They’ve taught me to be me, and they’ve taught me to own my image. That the people who love me will know the truth. I hope you read this testimonial. Thanks for helping me “glow up” over the years to become fierce and edgy and my true self. And thanks for helping me focus on the important stuff. You’re the realest Taylor.

Sincerely,

Kayla

@taylornation