By Belle Martinelli
Whitson’s packed with Purchase Swifties (Photo by Belle Martinelli)
Purchase students dressed in style to Taylor Swift Club Night, hosted by RA Briana Reid, a sophomore theater and performance and anthropology major. Reid, the mastermind behind the event, was inspired by a Taylor Swift Club Night she attended in the city.
“I’ve always kind of thought it would be a cool idea if the Stood were able to host something like this,” said Reid, “But I kind of didn’t realize that it was something that I would be able to do.” The event was hosted in Whinston's in the Stood.
Taylor Swift has a big reputation among her fans, and those that came to club night did not disappoint. Students were dressed to the nines in outfits inspired by various Taylor Swift “eras,” in honor of her upcoming and wildly discussed “Eras Tour.”
“I did get tickets!” said Reid excitedly.
Reid with her friend and fellow RA, Jenn Ward
in Swift-inspired outfits (Photo by Belle Martinelli)
Unfortunately, many fans fell down the Ticketmaster rabbit hole and did not score tickets.
Students screamed ferociously to a mix of Swift’s biggest hits and Reid’s favorite hidden gems, while they danced and swayed with their friends.
“I tried to keep it a mix of like my personal favorites,” said Reid, “But also fan favorites.”
The playlist for the night shuffled between all of Swift’s 10 studio albums, including popular favorites like “Picture to Burn” and “Love Story,” as well as vault tracks from her rerecorded albums like “Mr. Perfectly Fine” and the highly praised “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).”
Screams echoed through the room and magic settled in the air as the first few notes of Swift’s most record-breaking song began.
“Never have I ever been in a room so unanimous in their grieving process as “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” came on,” said freshman film major Jamie Simiele. “And [the] lyrics were screamed in a united front.”
The crowd went wild as they screamed word-for-word for the entirety of the 10 minutes of the song.
Throughout the night, students participated in acts only those within the Taylor Swift community would understand. Many came with the number 13 drawn on their hands, an ode to a younger Swift on tour, performing every night with her lucky number etched on her skin.
Fans yelled “Sydney!” in the middle of the “Blank Space” bridge, a
Students in the Stood lights, dancing, and singing
to “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”
(Photo by Belle Martinelli)
reference to an iconic Swift
performance during the 1989 tour in Sydney, Australia. Others added the double clap during the “You Belong with Me” bridge, mirroring Swift’s own movements while performing the song.
Countless students donned their cardigans to protect them from the autumn chill, a merchandise line inspired by the song “Cardigan,” from Swift’s first surprise quarantine album “Folklore.”
During the song “Bejeweled,” everyone gathered to participate in the TikTok-viral dance.
“Everyone get ready!” someone in the crowd shouted, as they got ready to strut, twirl, and shimmy their fingers in coordination with the chorus.
“It seems like everyone is very energetic,” said sophomore journalism major, Natalie Tulloch.
The night turned nostalgic as “Long Live” played as one of the last songs. The song is a love letter from Swift to her fans, thanking them for standing by her. The emotional ballad did not leave a single dry eye in the crowd, as students hugged, swayed, and cried with their friends.
Reid swaying and singing with her friends to “Long Live” (Photo by Belle Martinelli)
And all at once, Taylor Swift Club Night ended as the technicians queued “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley at the stroke of 11 p.m. The night seemed to slip away into a moment in time as the lights came on after the party.
“It was incredible,” said freshman theatre and performance major Allison Iacuzzo about the event, who was one of the lucky ones to score tickets to the “Eras Tour.”
Reid had hoped for a good turnout, but even she was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who came. She couldn’t ask for anything better than having a successful and lively event.
“It was more than I was expecting,” she said. “There was definitely a good amount of people who showed up, and I feel like people were having fun.”
“Swifties from all across the campus gathered around to celebrate [Swift’s] national and international success here in our own Purchase community,” said Simiele.
Students were left with full hearts and sore throats, but they will hold on to these memories.
“My voice is gone!” said senior Chelsie Chamberlain. “I need a cup of hot tea.”