World-renowned recording artist Taylor Swift recently announced she will be re-recording all of her previous albums. For many college students, these releases are like a time machine back to ten years ago to when we first heard the songs.

After the masters to her first albums were bought out from her original recording company in 2019, Swift decided to re-record them under her own production. Her first release was the single “Love Story” in February, and 2008’s “Fearless” album will follow in April.

Fans were ecstatic to hear that some of their favorite Swift songs from the past would be making a comeback. Hearing these songs as an adult will have a different impact than when we were children though. As an 8-year-old hearing “You Belong with Me,” we had no point of reference for how it felt to see the one you love with someone else, and we weren’t quite old enough to resonate with Swift on “Fifteen.”

I think hearing these songs again as an adult will have a much different impact now we’ve been through the same heartbreak she felt when first writing these songs 13 years ago. Alongside Swift, we have also grown and matured, and I hope that we can hear this growth in the re-recordings.

Swift has never been one to shy away from sharing her feelings in her songs, and that is the reason so many younger people gravitated toward her music in the first place. As she grew from a baby-faced teen into a young woman, fans watched her become one of the most scrutinized celebrities in the world.

She was criticized for having too many boyfriends, having too many friends, and sharing her political opinion too much. But, despite the constant reprimands for speaking her mind, Swift made herself a role model for her younger fans. Swift has taken advantage of this infamy by speaking out about feminism and female empowerment in industries that are dominated by men.

Whether you became a fan in 2007 or 2021, Taylor Swift is an artist who is more than just songs. She shares her emotions, her struggles, and her work ethic in her music, and she empowers others to do the same. Reliving these breakthrough songs will bring fans a whole new perspective, as the songs they have grown up with are brought back to life.