Throughout my collegiate career, Taylor Swift has dropped a majority of her re-recordings (except for the “reputation” and “Debut” re-records as of this writing). So, in honor of this being my last ever article for The Observer, I’ve decided to put moments from the past four years that I tend to associate with each album release on full blast to the masses.
“Lover”
This album doesn’t technically count, as “Lover” came out my senior year of high school, plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. It signified new beginnings and change, from the warm and beautiful city of San Diego to the volatile weather of South Bend, Indiana. I had never left home for such a long extended period without my parents and had the stress of living in a dingy dorm with a bunch of strangers and subpar dining hall food (given that the food was placed in styrofoam packages, we had to eat outside under a hornet-infested tree and had to wear our masks between bites). Other than that, there were not really any traumatic experiences during this period.
“folklore”
Every time I think about “folklore,” it takes me back to the rainy, pumpkin spice-esque days of freshman year: the hurricane warning on the first day of school, sitting alone in my dorm as the leaves changed colors and the classic freshman year friend group falling out. A guy was caught talking smack once at a party the day before Easter and a friend got into a tussle with him in my honor. A couple stitches later and after everyone and their mom discovered what happened, the guy was quickly exiled from the group. Now I know this does not necessarily bring about “folklore” energy, but I do remember that during the walk back, the song “peace” was playing in a nearby tent. That misty, cold night was the first time I felt like I had a friend by my side. Looking back, we were all annoying freshmen trying to find our place in the world holding onto our right to immaturity.
“evermore”
“evermore” was another album that was released freshman year, but I do not associate any bad trauma with it. Rather, this album has personally left a positive mark on me that has continued throughout these past four years. It’s a representation of maturity, offering a glimpse of hope amidst all of the moments of college where you sink to your worst.
“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”
If this was a cheesy column, I would say “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” highlights the act of trying new things, meeting new people and taking risks, all associated with the beginning and end of freshmen year. Unfortunately, this is a cheesy column and this album did help with my fears of studying abroad in the summer, so I agree with this discernment.
“Red (Taylor’s Version)”
The quintessential break-up album — in this case, a breakup from my best friend. “Red (Taylor’s Version)” was released in my sophomore year in the fall, which was marked by limited character development and a familiar batch of friends, led by a frigid winter season. It was also a time that taught me the importance of communication in friendships and taking responsibility when you’ve wronged someone. It was during this period that I had a falling out with one of my best friends (which was completely my fault) and a healing of our friendship after that (after I had taken full responsibility). We’re still going strong to this day.
“Midnights”
An album already beset by sleepless nights, it came out my junior year fall, which was certainly marked by self-reflection and a broken friendship. It was during this time my now ex-friend wronged me, spread fake rumors and refused to take responsibility for their actions, all under the guise of false assumptions and their “blunt” personality. Looking back, a person with a poor personality who plays the victim despite being the propagator is not someone I’d want to be associated with. Frankly, attempting to mend that friendship was simply a waste of my breath. It caused me to place my guard up and made me ensure to never allow someone to take advantage of my forgiveness again.
“Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”
A representation of the transition into adulthood and the importance of speaking up for what you believe, the album came out at a semi-pivotal time, the summer before senior year. There was nothing traumatic in this period, besides me discerning my future, visiting Pittsburgh for the first time and meeting up with old friends. However, I do tend to think back to summer and all the beautiful times in San Diego, especially since It was also a time when I got over a hometown flame and chose to be a lawyer.
“1989 (Taylor’s Version)”
For me, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” represented a rebirth and letting go of the past. The album came out amidst Halloweekend while I was at CJs, and it perfectly encapsulates the feeling of embracing the future. If the CJs line was not problematic enough, I had gotten into a fight with my ex-friend after I had hoped to heal our relationship. Unfortunately, my ex-friend once again attempted to shift the blame onto me, even though I had every right to be upset due to their wrongdoing. They refused to take responsibility for their actions once more, causing me to realize that this friendship was not worth mending. At one point you have to realize that some people will never change and continue their stubborn behavior to their detriment while you allow yourself to heal and realize the importance of your true and real friendships. You move on, you get better and leave the past behind; haters are gonna always hate. C’est la vie.
“reputation” and “Debut”
Although these last two albums (Taylor’s Version), have yet to be released, “reputation” certainly highlights being with the ones you love and finding safety and solace amongst the drama of college. The real friends won’t care about the “he said, she said” — they’ll be there for you whenever you need it, and those are the memories you will hold onto. With respect to Taylor Swift’s debut album, it’s a representation of a beginning–in this case, life after college. All in all, they’re a look ahead as you leave your struggles and pains behind for something new.
On the other hand, while it is important to leave the past behind, it’s also necessary to realize how the events have transformed your life. I may sometimes regret what occurred, wishing I reacted differently or said something else. Yet, without these experiences, good or bad, I could not have met the new friends whom I am grateful for every day and who helped me when it all went crashing and burning. For me, I try to keep my side of the street clean, and I’d rather care about the moments that make me happy, leaving behind a negative environment to be surrounded by the people I love.
Closing Remarks
The cheesiness is not yet over: In my last ever column, I would like to give a shoutout to those on The Observer team that have significantly impacted me the most: the AMEs (shoutout to Gabby and Hannah), Ed Board (shoutout to Christina, Anna, Meg, my twin namesake McGuinness and my wonderful boss Claire) and The Observer, for being a consistent, questionable source of revenue these past four years.
You can reach Andrew Marciano at amarcian@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this Inside column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
