It’s Thursday, you know that you have school the next day, but you continue to wait in your bed refreshing Spotify, watching the clock tick closer to 12 a.m. Finally, its midnight and you begin listening to Taylor Swift’s first album in two  years. You’re excited, until you remember you have school, and should start to go to sleep.  

Ironically Taylor’s new album that was released at midnight on October 21st, was called Midnights. Many students at VHS stayed up despite having school the next day to listen to her songs, as well as the exclusive tracks released at 3am, while other “Swifties” risked spoilers to get a good night’s sleep. 

“Am I a big fan? Well, is the sky blue? Of course I’m a big fan of Taylor Swift, Who isn’t?” junior Marissa Barnet claimed, as if it was obvious. But, she still decided against staying up to listen to Swift’s newest album so she could keep up her sleep schedule. The 45 minute album, plus the additional tracks, would have kept Marissa, and other students who listened, awake until almost 3:30am. 

Junior Keira Dolan got all of her schoolwork out of the way in preparation for Midnights. She wanted to experience the album release firsthand, while texting her friend who also sacrificed her eight hours. 

Keira excitedly remembers “the thrill of [the] album release”, saying it was worth staying up late.

Jenna McGrath, a freshman at VHS, also waited until midnight to have Taylor Swift blasting in her headphones. 

She has “been waiting such a long time for this album” as Jenna has been a Taylor fan for “as long as [she] can remember”. Most high school students have grown up with Taylor Swift. Taylor’s debut album premiered in 2006, so Swift has been a part of students’ lives since they were little. 

Even though these long-time Swifties may have different ways of enjoying her music, all three of them plan on hearing it in concert in 2023. It may be a competitive race for tickets, but these students know they will hear Taylor Swift live.

“I don’t care if we have pit tickets, nosebleeds or even just standing in the parking lot. I have to be there,” Marissa declared.

It’s obvious that Taylor Swift has grown such a supportive fanbase, when it comes to concerts, and her albums, which includes many of our very own VHS students.