Ella’s Eras Tour
MY LIFE IN TAYLOR SWIFT SONGS
Welcome to the first feature post on the blog! I hope this post makes you feel seen and are reminded that we are not aimlessly finding our way through life alone. Each “Era” marks a chapter of our lives; a symbol of growth, change, and self discovery, etc. Let’s Help A Girl Out this year, be there for each other no matter what kind of Era we are in and it just so happens Taylor Swift has written a song for pretty much every experience, heartbreak, emotion that exists.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi!! My name is Ella McFadden and I am currently a Sophomore at Boise State University studying nursing. I have the pleasure of knowing Olivia because we grew up together. She is not only one of my best friends but such a genuine, loving soul. And the only person I sing Taylor Swift songs with in the car. So what is more perfect than writing about my own eras through her songs for the person I listen to her with? Writing like this isn’t necessarily my thing, but I really hope you all enjoy getting to know a little bit more about me and how my life has been up until the start of this new year!
2002-2008: NEVER GROW UP
I think we all know why this song applies to the early years of my life. At one point I think we all wished we could grow up and be like our role models. Wished that we could be independent, respected, and be able to experience the privileges we get by being older. I wish that instead of naturally thinking this way when I was younger, I would’ve taken the time to absorb the dependence and lack of responsibilities that never go away after you grow up.
2013: SOON YOU’LL GET BETTER / THE BEST DAY
When I was in 5th grade, my mom had a brain tumor that was wrapped around her speech pathways in her left temporal lobe. ⅘ of these tumors are cancerous. My mom’s was the ⅕ that wasn’t. I don’t think I was fully aware of that miracle until later but seeing my mom go through brain surgery and the recovery process is something I will never forget. When situations like this take place, it reminds you how small your “problems” are. My mom is the strongest woman I have ever met and those days that she spent at home recovering were some of the best days. Her not having to worry about the stressors of her job and me being able to have my mom home to greet me after school everyday was something I didn’t take for granted. It’s just a reminder to always tell your parents you love them and remember that they’re getting older too.
2014-2015: OUT OF THE WOODS
I know Taylor wrote this song in regards to a relationship, but to me, this song is relevant for the time in my life when my parents separated. I had just started middle school, which was already difficult, then had to add all of my family happenings into the mix. All of the changes were very overwhelming for me and I couldn’t find the courage to even talk about it with my best friends because I felt embarrassed in a sense. Out Of The Woods symbolizes me waiting for that current state in my life to pass so that things could go back to normal. I do have regrets about letting my parents divorce take over all of my thoughts and worries when there were far less important things that should have been my worries. It’s so easy to get caught up in what is going wrong in your life but acknowledging all you have to be grateful for is so so important.
2015-2016: MEAN
Middle school was a weird time for me. Not only were people around me mean, but they were also going through puberty, and projecting their insecurities onto others. Middle school is when you start to figure out what clicks are and which friends are loyal to you. A lot of things can change in these years of growth, and I’m sure I’m not the only one that knows all the different changes that can happen. It’s hard to stay strong and keep your head up in a time where you don’t feel confident, but things get worse before they get better.
2017: FIFTEEN
Okay no way was I going to miss the opportunity to have this be one of the songs I chose but this song describes EVERYTHING the start of high school was for me. Trying to stay out of the older kids’ ways, hoping everyone will like you, and being naive because there are way better things to accomplish than dating the boy on the football team. I thought high school was going to be a fairytale and full of exciting, new things. So when I didn’t get that initially, I started to make up scenarios in my head because my real experience wasn't fulfilling any dreams or expectations I had. Looking back now, I realized that I fantasized my freshman year of high school. At times I confused dreams and reality, which made me eventually realize that it wasn’t the best way to go about things. Getting caught up in “what could be” can often cause you to not live in the moment, which is something I wasn’t aware of until it was too late.
2019: BAD BLOOD / DEAR JOHN
2019 was a year. It was the year I felt the most insecure and beaten down, and it was all because of my high school soccer coach. If you play sports you know that there are coaches in which you feed off their energy, or you’re defeated by it. My experience was the second one. I felt constantly degraded which left me feeling as if I was never good enough. It’s the lowest mentally I remember being in my first 17 years of life. I honestly thought I could push through it because it’s not in me to give up on things, but eventually I had to. I had to realize that my mental health was more important than proving to myself that I could get through another “obstacle”. Just because you know you’re strong enough to get through something like this, doesn’t mean you should.
2020: HOW YOU GET THE GIRL
This was the year I realized my worth. I was so caught up in wanting to feel wanted, that I didn’t address the fact that I was compromising my morals and standards trying to feel that way. Along with that, my kindness was taken for weakness, which made them feel like they could walk all over me. I’m sure we’ve all had that one person or experience that has helped us realize “Wow, I deserve to be treated way better than this” and I am so glad we do. Not because I want all of us to go through the pain/ anger it causes, but for us to come out as a stronger, more confident individual on the other side. This is where you find your voice, or more thereof. How You Get The Girl is Taylor helping us realize what we deserve.
2021: FEARLESS / YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN KID / CORNELIA STREET
Leaving for college out of state was one of the hardest things I ever have had to do. I left my family, my childhood best friends, and my home that has watched me grow up. I was finally on my own and had to worry about navigating my new life up in Boise. I then met my wonderful boyfriend, Alex, in the dorms and started to create these new memories with him. My sisters always tell me that I’m lucky to not have gone through a terrible heartbreak like they have and not be able to relate with them. I think that’s why I went into my relationship with Alex head first. I didn’t have any fears, because I didn’t have anything in my past happen that caused me to be afraid. This is definitely a unique situation and I know that most aren’t like this, but be fearless. Go after what you want, what you deserve, and what is going to make you the happiest.
2022: LONG LIVE
I know we’re always taught to lean on our friends and family. We’re taught to trust them, love them, and be there for them. 2022 was a year of just that. Friendships blossomed and I became the best friend/ sister/ daughter/ girlfriend I could be for those I care about. It was a year of a lot of ups and downs, but because of these people, I got through it. It’s okay to not be strong and to allow those around you to be there for you. It’s important to surround yourself with people that help pick you back up and support you no matter what. Don’t take these people for granted because genuine people are few and far between nowadays.
