Students embrace their “Eras” era

The summer of 2023 will forever and always be remembered as the summer “The Eras Tour” swept the nation and flooded every social media platform with photos and videos of Taylor Swift.

While the Swift craze is nothing new, after this summer, she has proved herself a mastermind with a following bigger than the whole sky.

The very first night of the concert was March 17 in Glendale, Arizona. Since then, Swift has played 53 different shows in 20 different U.S. cities. The first U.S. leg of the tour ended on Aug. 9, and the international performances started on Aug. 24. Swift’s tour will begin again in the U.S. on Oct. 18, 2024.

The three-and-a-half hour show takes fans on a journey through Swift’s ten “eras,” or albums. Whether a fan of her country medleys, pop anthems or folk hits, “The Era’s Tour” has something for every type of listener. From daylight to starlight, the concert keeps fans enchanted until it’s time to go.

This tour is especially memorable for long-time fans of Swift.

“My entire bedroom was filled with Taylor Swift posters when I was younger, and every night I would choose a new song as an alarm to wake up to in the morning,” Olivia Brost, a sophomore, said. “She has always been a figure for me to look up to as I have grown up and [I] feel like even now, as a young adult, there are so many lessons I can learn from her.”

Brost attended the Minnneapolis concert on June 23 and said the atmosphere exceeded her wildest dreams.

“I have never been in such an inviting environment for a concert,” Brost said. “I am a live music junkie, so I have been to a handful of concerts, but this one was unlike any that I have ever attended.”

Senior John Babineau attended the Minneapolis show on June 24 and said the energy was crazier than anything he had ever seen.

“It was electric,” Babineau said. “Just the screaming alone when she came out on stage was louder than anything else that night.”

Junior Elizabeth Toso attended the Kansas City, Missouri, show on July 8 and shares the same sentiment. While this concert is not for only the young, Toso said primarily young women were in attendance.

“One thing that my mom and I talked about was how in crowds like that, we usually feel a little nervous and scared,” Toso said. “But at the concert, we were completely comfortable and that’s such a rare feeling for a woman in a crowd that size.”

Sophomore Mallorie Schultz was the lucky one and met Swift’s mom and dad while at the concert in Minneapolis on June 24.

“They were nothing but sweet and supportive to every fan,” Schultz said.

One unique aspect of Swift’s concert is that most fans dress up as Swift’s different eras for the event. Toso said some fans will even change outfits throughout the concert to match Swift as she travels through the eras.

“Talking to other girls about the effort they put into their outfits was insane,” Toso said. “I wore more makeup to this show than I wore at prom.”

Toso described a wonderland of colors and glitter with gorgeous outfits, from bejeweled cowboy hats to a cardigan to red and maroon dresses.

Some said the worst part of the night was the labyrinth-style parking lot.

Toso heard warnings of a treacherous three-hour line to leave the parking lot, so her party had their getaway car ready. They started the run to their car immediately after Swift disappeared for the last time. Toso said they were able to make it out of the lot, safe and sound, in just 30 minutes.

Babineau and Schultz had no problems with parking. However, both parties found a midnight rain waiting for them when they made it to the outside of the stadium after the concert’s closure.

Whether seven, 15, 22 or a fully grown adult, this concert leaves a lasting impact. Brost said she has never seen such happiness from a crowd and is haunted from the good memories.

“That concert was probably one of the happiest nights and moments of my life,” Brost said. “It always makes me smile when I think about it.”

Schultz feels all Swifties will remember this timeless experience all too well for the rest of their lives.

“Everyone who I spoke with had nothing but kind and loving things to say,” Schultz said.

Long story short, it was the best day of their lives.

“My Taylor Swift minutes on Apple Music has skyrocketed over 10,000 minutes since,” Babineau said.

It might have felt like a cruel summer for Swifties who weren’t able to get tickets in the chaotic Ticketmaster gold rush. However, fans that missed the concert can view it on the big screen on Oct. 13, 2023, when a nearly three-hour movie version of the concert premieres in theaters.

For the Swifties looking for a challenge, 50 Swift song titles are hidden in this article. No, it’s not a hoax or a glitch. If you keep your eyes open and be delicate when looking through the lines you may be able to find them all.

If you can’t, just breathe and shake it off.