A night not so Swiftly forgotten
Staff and students reflect on Taylor Swift’s stop in Arlington
Many staff and students on campus hit the AT&T Stadium Friday through Sunday to see Taylor Swift perform in her Era’s Tour. One of the night’s traditions included dressing up as a favorite Swift album. Among those pictured are Sophomore Sami Scutari (pictured center left, posing with friends) who dressed up as Taylor Swift’s debut album: “Taylor Swift,” freshman Ava Clerkin (center) passing for “Reputation,” and senior Andrew Jauregui (far right) dressed as a character from one of Taylor’s earlier music videos: “You Belong With Me.”
Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has a way of pulling in the crowds, and her “Reputation” carried over in N. Texas when her Eras Tour made a 3-day stop at AT&T Stadium Friday-Sunday in Arlington.
With ticket sales dating as far back as November of last year, the show was greatly anticipated for freshman Ava Clerkin.
“In the months leading up to the concert, I had already been planning my outfits and what shoes I was going to wear, and I was talking with my friends who had also gotten tickets,” Clerkin said. “Seeing Taylor up on stage was so cool because I had been listening to her music for so long, so it was so surreal to see her in person for the first time. When the concert ended I was just trying to wrap my head around everything I had seen when I was there.”
For others, the rush hit later on as the week of the tour grew closer and the amount of attention put on the shows increased. Many took to social media to post their excitement for the night.
“I didn’t really realize that I really wanted to go until a week before the concert because I was seeing all the videos that people were posting and all the songs that [Swift] was singing and I was like ‘I want to experience that,’” sophomore Sami Scutari said.
Some even took part in a social media trend posed by concert attendees all across the metroplex: dressing up like their favorite Swift album.
To stay on theme with the “eras” tour, Scutari and her friends dressed in cowboy hats and boots to represent two of Taylor’s earlier country-pop albums, Speak Now and Taylor Swift.
“I know all of her songs, so it was fun to just sing along,” she said. “Especially when she sang from the two albums we dressed up as, I really felt special because it’s like she was singing directly to me. I felt like I was in a moment with just her. Plus now I have photos of me and my friends to treasure for a lifetime.”
I really felt special because it’s like she was singing directly to me. I felt like I was in a moment with just her,
— Sophomore Sami Scutari
A lifetime treasure for journalism teacher Brian Higgins was getting to witness his daughter’s reactions at her first concert.
“As Taylor took the stage, I glanced over at Piper and she was overcome with emotion and was crying,” Higgins said. “As a dad, this was a moment I will never forget, and one I will cherish forever.”
As for Piper herself, the hours spent at the Swift concert will be time she always remembers from her 6th grade year.
“Going to the concert was an experience I never imagined I would have,” she said. “Seeing the person you’ve looked up to all your life just feels completely unreal.”
Caroline Grace is a senior moving into her fourth and final year of being on Wingspan staff! She is also involved in NHS, choir, student council, Frisco...
