Released: 2024
Taylor Swift’s “So High School” is a reminiscent journey through the complexities and youthful tumult of adolescence through a romantic lens. It’s a sweet, yet loaded exploration of the sensations of first love, teen parties, and the profound impact these experiences can have on us.
Swift kicks things off with “I feel so high school/every time I look at you”, immediately setting a sentimental tone. She’s recollecting the feelings she gets when she sees this person, feelings that transport her back to her high school years – a time filled with naive romance, teenage drama, and spirited discovery.
The line, “I’m sinking, our fingers entwined/Cheeks pink in the twinkling lights”, is a vivid recollection of the intimate moments between her and this person, their fingers twining together, their cheeks flushed in the ambient lighting, taking us right into that moment with her.
Lines like “I’m betting on all three/ For us two,” hint at Swift’s masterful play with words. Here, she implies that the person she’s singing about could either be the love of her life, a fleeting romance or an inevitable heartbreak – the trifecta of “marry, kiss, kill”.
The lyrics “Brand new, full throttle/ Touch me while your bros play Grand Theft Auto” evoke the innocence of teenage experiences against the backdrop of intense romantic feelings. The references to playing video games and Swift’s self-assured assertion, “I know Aristotle”, are both realistic recollections of high school life and a hint of a contrast between their interests – a common dynamic in young relationships.
Wrapping up, Swift asserts, “You knew what you wanted, And, boy, you got her,” implying that the subject of the song had strong intentions and was successful in winning her over. The song encapsulates a whirlwind of emotions centered around the teen years and, in typical Swift fashion, wraps it in metaphor, romance and nostalgia.
Overall, “So High School” offers a candid look into Taylor Swift’s feelings and experiences from her adolescence, reminding us all about the intensity and passion of our formative years.
