Taylor Swift’s engagement post has a surprising reveal for fans

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By now, you’ve heard the news: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged.

35-year-old Swift and 35-year-old Kelce announced their engagement on Instagram on August 26, accompanied by a slideshow featuring “So High School” as its soundtrack. The photos show the Kansas City Chiefs player proposing to Swift in a picturesque flower garden. A couple of images later, she posted a close-up of Swift’s enormous diamond ring and a Cartier Santos Demoiselle watch. In her caption, she playfully referred to herself as their English teacher and Kelce as their gym teacher. The gallery has gathered 29.5 million likes in less than 24 hours since it was posted.

But wait—”English teacher?”

Taylor Swift’s engagement post reveals ‘where she is now as a musician and lyricist’

Initially, it puzzled me why Swift labeled her as an “English teacher” instead of a “music teacher.” Nevertheless, last year’s The Tortured Poets Department shattered almost every sales and streaming record imaginable. It wouldn’t shock me if The Life of a Showgirl follows suit, considering it contains just 12 songs.

Why does she speak about herself as if she’s a person who regularly spends her evenings marking school essays like book reports and teenage short stories?

Reach out to Annie Zaleski, the renowned scholar known for her works in Swiftian studies, author of several New York Times best-sellers, and editor of “Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind The Songs.” I contacted her for her insights on Taylor Swift’s extensive song catalog.

Zaleski noted that Taylor Swift chose her 2024 track ‘So High School’ for her engagement post, rather than a shared favorite or a love-themed older song. The selection seems to reflect her current musical and personal state.

Moreover, the song was once whispered to be a reflection of her excitement over her romance with Travis, and this has largely been validated since then, Zaleski explains. The lyrics suggest someone imitating their father figure, and as Travis often mimics his dad, Ed, it seems plausible. Furthermore, there’s a reference to the ‘kill, marry, kiss’ game, which Travis played years ago, stating he would kiss Taylor. In essence, ‘So High School’ appears to be a tender ode to their romantic connection.

In the song “So High School,” the storyteller is deeply immersed in the passionate beginnings of a new relationship. The lyrics evoke a youthful atmosphere with mentions of classic games like Spin the Bottle and “Marry, Kiss, Kill,” as well as watching American Pie and playing Grand Theft Auto. These references beautifully portray the carefree essence of being sixteen and falling in love.

In Swift’s Instagram post, Kelce and she are depicted as if they’re still high school students, albeit playing distinct roles. He serves as a gym teacher and football coach after classes, while she works on lesson plans combining Shakespeare and Octavia Butler. This portrayal can be seen as an extension of the metaphorical high school theme present in the song, although both were well into their thirties when they began dating.

As a fan, I can’t help but think that the recent engagement announcement is like the perfect “Happily Ever After” to their high school days…but we’ll have to wait until October 3rd to see if there are any new chapters when The Life of a Showgirl makes its debut.

Appreciation goes out to Annie Zaleski for her insight. The second installment of “Taylor Swift: The Stories Behind the Songs” is due on September 30. You can pre-order it here.

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2025-08-27 22:00