Myth-Busting Taylor Swift's "22"

Swift spoon-fed me promises she couldn’t keep.

2012. 22. Taylor Swift. Over a decade ago, I was eight when the track christened my ears. Yearning for when my dressing table would be adorned with red lipstick, this chronological aspiration made ‘22’ seem ethereal. In hindsight, this was a fanciful desire, not realistic premonition. I suppose pre-pubescent spectacle exists as an escape from the limits within childhood. 

This craving was spellbinding in my adolescence. Turning 15, I craved for 18. When 18, I wanted 22. In this media-stricken world, social media tells us that instant gratification, not only online, but in the ‘real’ is normal. We scroll through snapshots of dreams being achieved, subconsciously absorbing the message that everyone is doing something and everyone has something special. I circle back to Taylor Swift’s single for this reason. In 2026, “everything will be alright” seems like a cynically ironic message loaded with insult. I’ve just graduated, turned 22, and the world has never seemed so devilish and laborious. 

Beginning with Verse 1, the night already doesn’t feel “perfect”. Like my apathetic age group, the job market is dull, and I avoid clicking on the Santander app. I avoid a confrontation with my conscience. The £12 double vodka has doubled in price compared to my nostalgic vodka-cran from university. At least the vodka-cran is getting profit. 

I don’t want to be too pessimistic. When Taylor wants to “fall in love with strangers”, our ages’ activities begin to align. Online, whilst everyone is getting married, slathered all over our faces in Vogue, on TikTok and throughout dinner table conversation – “George! (…) is engaged!”, the other half is wandering blind through Hinge and Tinder. Ghosting permits a night of fulfilment without the commitment. Although I question how unknown these “stranger” dates are – the glossy, linked-arm female forces researching the match’s entire private life before the date begins forbids magical mystery. 

Narrow the focus. “Tonight is the night when we forget about the deadlines”, let the world come to you. Pick something and take one thing at a time. 

Money. Probably the most common woe; try to avoid lifestyle creep. The flashy micro-trendy athleisure will be worn by too many cool kids and taken off the trend ladder in a month. Take it easy on yourself; most are in the same situation as you. Treating your savings like a non-negotiable fixed bill can help build up that safety net. This is all said with a pinch of salt. Everyone has different financial situations, fit advice to your environment. Someone’s experience can’t be analysed next to yours. Podcaster Grace Beverly hosts a brilliant interview with Mia McGrath, the 24-year-old award-winning solopreneur preaching financial literacy; I found this on Spotify and McGrath’s transparently documented story made me feel comforted and re-gave me aspiration. 

Jobs. Ah yes, the red-button disaster word. Congratulations for joining the ever-growing community of I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-my-life. Without those predefined academic milestones, it’s common that a lack of structure leads to a lack of courage. Firstly, take confidence in your ability. Secondly, if you can, take any job you can get – I mean any. It’s better to work as a barista and mould those skills for new applications whilst you’re on the job. Also, it gives your mind something else to think about. Try making an active, ongoing list of things you know you want and don’t. This can be for location, community, even workwear! When you're doing dogsbody work for a company you’re not too inspired by, observing the higher roles in the office and talking to people can unconsciously realise that you happen to love web design. Or, your favourite part of the job is the phone calling – maybe you would thrive in teaching, sales or consultancy, to name a few! I’ve linked a fantastic article from Guardian writer Jason Okundaye here: Go to university! No, get a trade! How can young people survive when all the paths are landmined? | Jason Okundaye | The Guardian – he validates barren mentalities, whilst encouraging and explaining paths for success. 

Inadequacy. We all receive the same piece of advice that we’ll just “figure it out”, being rarely given practical training for navigating our future. Our brains are complex, beautiful places, and we shouldn’t scare ourselves into thinking we need to figure it out now, so our lives are peaceful later. Social media may often feel like 2026’s rendition of ‘Influencer’s Got Talent’.

The like button is 4 yeses, and TikTok virality becomes the golden buzzer; “This place is too crowded, Too many cool kids”, as Swift sings. I think of Mel Robbins’ “Let them” concept, teaching humans to not waste energy over others. A seemingly straightforward mindset to execute becomes harder when you end up “dreamin’ instead of sleeping”, “dreaming” of more that is. Growing pains of adulthood triggered from the question “What’s next?”, said, of course, with smiling face and judging eyes. Acceptance is a tool. To explain it like every mother, “there are 8 billion people in the world” -  life seems so insular when we assign ourselves made-up quotas created from scrolling. There is an impossible pressure to achieve everything as fast as possible; “impossible” is the key word. I’ve linked Livi Redden’s TEDx Talk on intentional emotional development for young adults: What Nobody Tells You About Your Twenties | Livi Redden | TEDxBayonne – Redden speaks on how all this decision-making doesn’t have to be so confusing and scary.

This piece’s purpose is clarity. Just like school, it’s easy to fall into false illusions of what the future can hold. Taylor gets at least one thing right – “It’s miserable and magical”. Your 20s don’t have a sell-by date, and things will fall into place. I almost write this piece as a letter to myself. As Billy Joel said, “you can’t be everything you want to be before your time”. The niggling feeling of jealousy when other people’s lives work out is inevitable. Jealousy is a natural emotion, but when joining the frontal lobes milestone age bracket, we want to work with jealousy, not succumb to it. Graduation is the first-time we no longer run on autopilot.

Life doesn’t “look like bad news”, there is no short fuse, only previews of life.