It’s been a long time coming. I began watching The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift’s ongoing concert trek, daily through TikTok livestreams like it was my Super Bowl. Besides getting into grad school, going twice to The Eras Tour was the happiest of times for me this year.

I went to the second night in Las Vegas in March and the first night in Los Angeles in August. Both nights felt quite different. I went to the Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018 and can attest that Swift has always been a confident performer. However, she grew even more as a performer between her March and August shows.

Back in March, I went alone dressed in the “Lover Era,” in honor of Lover Fest, her 2020 tour which was canceled due to COVID-19.

I didn’t know then, but I was still going through the emotions of a breakup in early 2022. At the time of the breakup, I related most to her song “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” So, I was not prepared to bawl my eyes out when she asked the audience if we had 10 minutes to spare. That’s what it’s all about — the emotion and the healing journey. Swift writes songs anyone can relate to, from those in prison, going through heartbreak and friendship breakups, to couples getting married.

I also did not expect one of the girls next to me to give me a warm hug in support. It felt like family. Months passed, and time and music healed me. Everything I had gone through became a new experience and a lesson. Most importantly, these new lessons pushed me to want to do better for myself.

I dressed up in the “Reputation Era” for my second Eras show in honor of my first Taylor Swift concert. I was ready to party with my teenage sister in the VIP section — there had been rumors that she would sing “New Romantics,” as well as announce the release of “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” the upcoming re-recording of her 2014 album. I especially relate to “New Romantics” because of the way it talks about “build[ing] a castle out of all the bricks they threw at me.”

Although neither happened that night, we had fun trading friendship bracelets with the Swifties around us, a tour tradition. We were too busy dancing to realize how tired we were — we were so exhausted that we needed an extra day to rest before going back to our regular lives. We were stunned at how Swift could perform for three hours straight.

My experience at The Eras Tour did not end after the concerts I attended. My sister and I wanted to experience her music live again, so we “Taygated” (tailgating outside venues where Swift is performing) the last two concerts at SoFi Stadium. Some people brought projectors and streamed the concert live just feet away from the stadium entrance.

People gathered around singing. There were street vendors everywhere selling merchandise, hot dogs, and drinks. We sat by the lake on the grass with our hot dogs, muted our phones, streamed the concert, and listened to Swift on repeat.

Seeing Swift live was beyond worth the cost. It was an experience that I’d love to relive as many times as possible. My favorite of the shows I saw was the one I attended with my sister. It was her first concert, and watching her have fun meant everything to me.

We also bought our tickets at face value during the chaotic Ticketmaster sale; karma was on our side. My experience with The Eras Tour will not end here. I will continue watching the international shows, along with the second leg of the US tour, from the comfort of my bed on TikTok live.