Student Wellbeing

Lessons We Can Learn From Taylor Swift 

The phenomenon that is the Taylor Swift Eras concert finally arrived in Melbourne two weeks ago. It was hard not to be swept up in the excitement of her concerts and a little bit of Taylor magic greeted senior school students as they arrived on Friday 16 February in the form of a life size Tay Tay poster (the staff member who put the poster up with such great precision shall remain nameless, but if you see Mr Hill thank him for his efforts).  

Whether you are a Swiftie or not, there are some great lessons all students can learn from Taylor. In her recent article, author and writer Shannon Meyerkort wrote about the ‘7 Lessons we can learn from Taylor Swift’. 

Lesson 1: Stand Up for What You Believe In Even When It’s Risky 

“Anytime you’re standing up against or for anything, you’re never going to receive unanimous praise. But that’s what forces you to be brave.” Taylor Swift 

Standing up for what you believe in as an adolescent can at times be daunting. Adolescents may still be learning to find their own voice, especially when what they have to say may be disagreeing with someone who is in a more powerful position than them. Within the senior school our students have many opportunities to be heard, whether it be speaking up during a class discussion, expressing their opinion within their friendship group or dropping by my office to respectfully challenge a decision that has been made. Finding their voice may take time, but as parents and educators we must continue to encourage them to be brave. 

Lesson 2: You Don’t Have to Play a Role to Make Others Happy 

“If you think too hard about who other people want you to be as an artist, it stops you from being who you want to be as an artist.” Taylor Swift 

Adolescents commonly face the dilemma ‘Do they stay true to themselves or become someone that others want them to be?’ As adolescents are walking the road towards becoming more and more independent, it is important to encourage them that the decisions they make are to be for themselves and not for others.  

Lesson 3: You Are Never Too Young to Follow Your Dreams 

“I signed my publishing deal when I was fourteen. I knew I had to work just as hard as the veteran 45-year-old writers who were also signed there.” Taylor Swift 

As parents and educators, it is crucial to nurture a strong work ethic and foster independence in students, while concurrently emphasising the importance of allowing space for pursuing their passions. Often, these passions not only sustain students during their senior school studies but also become a significant part of their future journey. 

Lesson 4: Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People 

“It makes it less like work, having your friends out there.” Taylor Swift 

During their time in the Senior School, many students long to ‘find their tribe’. Finding people who are like-minded is a vital part of life, as these people are often the support network who will be with you during times of challenge and success. Once students move beyond the idea of fitting in based on looks, they often ‘find their tribe’ by looking for others that share the same values as them. Some students ‘find their tribe’ more quickly than others, and those who take longer may sometimes become disheartened. In this circumstance it is important to emphasise that with patience and time, they will find others who are the right fit for them. 

Lesson 5: Keep Reinventing Yourself 

“I realised every record label was actively working to try to replace me. I thought instead, I’d replace myself first with a new me. It’s harder to hit a moving target.” Taylor Swift 

As we age, different things are important to us. Remember when you were 13, and how desperate you were to fit in with everyone else at school. You may have begged your parents for the right brand of shoes or insisted you had the shortest socks possible as this was what everyone else was wearing. While we can try and tell our students that these things are inconsequential in the ‘big picture of life’, it is likely our words will land on deaf ears. As frustrating as this can be, it may be more beneficial to remind them that as they travel through life, they will have many different opportunities presented to them and that who they are now is not who they will always be. 

Lesson 6: Success Requires Both Talent and Hard Work 

“Creativity is getting inspiration and having that lightning-bolt idea moment, and then having the hard work ethic to sit down at the desk and write it down.” Taylor Swift 

A saying I often share with our Year 11 & 12 students is “If you do nothing, you get nothing. If you do something, you get something.” Talent alone is never enough to sustain good grades or develop a good work ethic. Students who face challenges and setbacks during their studies, have often had to experiment with different types of learning tools and techniques until they have found the right fit for them. In doing so, they have developed perseverance, resilience, and determination, all of which are valuable life skills beyond the school gates. 

Lesson 7: There is Value in What Has Gone Before 

‘Taylor Swift’s current Eras tour consists of forty songs from her back catalogue of work without a single new track.’ The lesson from Taylor here may be that as individuals, ‘we don’t always need to create new things to be relevant’. Learning from our previous errors and recalling our past experiences holds great value, as this history provides a strong foundation for whatever lies ahead. 

If you would like to read Shannon’s article in full please click here. 

Reference 

Meyerkort, S (2024). 7 Lessons we can learn from Taylor Swift. School News Australia. https://www.school-news.com.au/news/7-lessons-we-can-learn-from-taylor-swift/