MAKE THE FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS Allen sports beaded bracelets at the concert. A trend among Swifties, creating bracelets with songs and lyrics. “the lyrics "Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you" bring back the names and faces of so many students that I have been honored to know over the years.” Allen says. PHOTO COURTESY OF KAT ALLEN
This Friday, pop superstar Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” and Overland Swifties are already dazzled.
Economics and social studies teacher Mrs. Allen talked about what era she’s in. “If I were to give my life an era right now, I would say I’m in my Swim Mom era. My oldest daughter swims competitively year-round. Between her daily practices, weekend meets, and serving on the executive board for my neighborhood swim team, I am without a doubt a Swim Mom. Hours in the car and posted up at the pool watching her train. I think my car permanently smells like chlorine, too.”
“Reputation.” English teacher Ms. Cosgrove adds. “Each track is like fuel for humanity. Themes in this album revolve around the intimate and intense feelings of how to reclaim your power when you feel like the narrative is false or misunderstood. For me, the album represents standing up for love and truth, when it would be easier to sit down, and knowing that the truth doesn’t stop being true just because others refuse to hear it.”
Junior Allison Glavan had a different take, “The era I am in is midnights because I’m a night owl and I feel like I’m in a period of reflection, just how Taylor Swift intended the era to be.”
Much like the rest of the world, these teachers are anxious to see Taylor’s next trick. Ms. Cosgrove looks forward to “New music, new lyrics to analyze, new craft and outfit inspiration – I always have fun being creative with each ‘era,’ and the magical feeling of waiting for something and it finally arriving! Additionally, Taylor writes a lot about classic literature and the Romanticism era in her songs, and I really like to dive in and find her connections in the lyrics with each new song. She gets super creative, and it’s fun finding the clues.”
Mrs. Allen, on the other hand, is hoping for a creative, fresh start. “I’m really hoping to get a well-curated album from The Life of a Showgirl. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy TTPD. However, that album really wandered around and seemed as chaotic as she must’ve been feeling at that time. From all the press I’ve seen on this album, it will be her shortest album, which leads me to believe that the lyrics will be succinct and powerful. I’m excited to hear the story she needed to tell from her Eras Tour period.”
Glavan looks to Swift’s collaboration with fellow pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter. “I’m looking forward to the song The Life of a Showgirl because it is Taylor Swift’s first song that she has Sabrina Carpenter featured on, and I’m so excited to see what it sounds like!”
Being a Swiftie is a huge undertaking. Both teachers highlighted the effect that Swift and her music have had on their teaching. “Being a Swiftie has definitely made its mark on my teaching career – particularly in the last few years. The Taylor lyric that comes to mind with this question is “life is just a classroom.” There is so much to learn from everyday interactions with each other and the world around us. As an economics teacher, I am able to use Taylor references in my curriculum pretty regularly to help make real-world connections to economic concepts. I hope that I’ve learned from Taylor that you never have to stop reinventing yourself and finding success in new and unexpected ways. I also hope that all students find a safe space in the walls of my room and know that they always have someone in their corner once they have been my student.” Allen says.
“The story goes…Taylor wrote her first album during her freshman year of high school,” Cosgrove adds. “It reminds me that my students at even the youngest age in the school are smart, capable, and people who feel deep feelings are exploring the world. Her music from her earlier years helps remind me how exhilarating and challenging youth can be. I hope to always give my students space to be humans as they figure out the world. I also like that Taylor seems to enjoy evolving her own craft – she
pushes her creativity rather than getting stuck in one genre. As a teacher, this inspires me to get creative with my classroom and find new joy with my students, the people I work with, and what I teach each year. The fate I fear most is becoming a teacher who has lost empathy, kindness, and passion.”
The Swifties also retold their Swiftie origin stories, highlighting Swift’s versatile catalog of music. “I’ve been a Taylor fan so long that I almost don’t remember how I was introduced to her music,” Allen said. “Honestly, I think I heard “Tim McGraw” on the radio back in 2006 and liked her sound. Back then, I would drive back and forth from Denver to Texas a few times a year to see my family. I vividly remember driving south on I-25 singing along to her debut album in my car at the top of my lungs. Over the years, I’ve come to admire her willingness and ability to try new things and find success in new sounds again and again.”
Cosgrove’s journey was a bit different. “My favorite album will always have to be Lover; in this era, I became a Swiftie. At the time, I felt like I was coming to the fandom late, but in retrospect, that was only album 7, and now she is about to release 12. Although we were both born in 1989, I was critical of Swift during her debut into show business because I believed false narratives that were commonly perpetuated at the time in society about young women. Once I finally started listening to Swift’s music and her own words, I realized how much more we had in common. It taught me a good lesson of doing my own thinking, rather than letting the world decide what I should think.”
“I think I became a Swiftie around the 1989 era,” Glavan continued, “When I discovered her songs, and I have just loved her ever since. My favorite album would have to [be] 1989, both original and Taylor’s version, because you get to see how much she has changed, and I love the Taylor’s version because of the vault tracks on that album.”
As the release date looms closer and closer, each Swiftie has their own unique predictions of what’s to come next from the pop superstar. “As cliché as this might be, I think I have to claim ‘Eldest Daughter’ on this album. As the oldest of 3, I’m anticipating that this one will hit close to the heart.” Allen says. Funnily enough, Cosgrove also shared the same sentiment. “I think ‘Eldest Daughter’ will be fire – but I am biased as an eldest daughter and George Michael Fan.”
“The Swift Effect,” a phrase many people have referenced, not only affects us economically, but also emotionally, and in everyday life. “I think my favorite Taylor Swift memory is when I surprised my husband for Christmas 2022 with the news that I had secured 4 tickets from a neighbor to Denver Night 2 for us to go see the Eras Tour as a family. His face just immediately went pale and green. I thought he would’ve been excited since we’d been talking about trying to go for months at that point, but hadn’t had any luck through Ticketmaster. I still have to laugh that his reaction was only because he also had a surprise for me that day – 4 tickets to see Eras Tour in Nashville on my 40th birthday in May. We literally got each other the same gift for Christmas that year!” Allen recalls.
“My favorite memory was earlier this year, going up to the state capitol in Colorado to advocate for better support of students and schools. I had a Taylor theme to my look and discourse. It was fun to spread joy to others out there and draw attention to this serious issue.” Cosgrove said.
“My favorite Taylor Swift-related memory is watching almost every Era’s Tour show on TikTok live like every night and waiting to see what surprise songs she would sing each night. Another favorite Taylor Swift-related memory that I have is watching the Eras Tour movie with my mom and sisters once it came out on Prime Video because we had such a fun time watching it together.” Glavan added.
“Being a Swiftie,” Cosgrove concludes, “I know people roll their eyes sometimes when I say I am a fan of Taylor Swift; however, the joy of being part of an inclusive, fun, and vibrant community of humans is super cool and worth it. Haters gonna hate.” The Life of a Showgirl is out October 3rd on all platforms.