Are you ready for it? Here’s which Taylor Swift song each Russell Group uni would be

The UK leg of Taylor’s highly anticipated world tour began on 7th June in Edinburgh, and ends on 20 August in London. You might have been lucky enough to get your hands on coveted tickets. You might have even already attended one of Taylor’s Eras concerts, and experienced that starstruck, surreal feeling seeing her sing, dance and perform live onstage!

While Taylor’s glamorous celebrity life of flashing paparazzi cameras and performing to sell-out crowds at Wembley Stadium might seem like a world away to us, have you ever wondered which of Taylor’s incredible songs each Russell Group uni would be? With Taylor Swift’s long-awaited Eras Tour currently underway, let’s take our very own “tour” through all the Taylor Swift songs as Russell Group unis.

(And, where applicable, all of these songs are Taylor’s Version, obviously.)

Oxford – Wildest Dreams

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As Oxford’s courses are considered some of the most coveted and prestigious in the country, they seem like they’d be an ideal gateway to pursuing your Wildest Dreams, whatever they might be.

Throughout the music video, Taylor dons a regal yellow gown that billows out across the desert, and poses seductively in a glittering silver ensemble beside a majestic maned lion, as thunder cracks in the sky, channelling the same powerful energy and luxurious vibes of Oxford.

In short, Heaven can’t help you once you’re captivated by the distinctive distinguished charm of Oxford’s famed campus and city.

Cambridge – I Can Do It With a Broken Heart

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I Can Do It With a Broken Heart is one of the most obvious Taylor Swift songs as Russell Group unis. Similar to Oxford, Cambridge’s courses are some of the most sought-after and highly respected in the world. So you’d have to be a real tough kid to achieve a place to study there.

Taylor’s I Can Do It With a Broken Heart speaks of the tireless pursuit of success despite the odds. In particular, the lyrics I was grinning like I’m winning, I was hitting my marks / ‘Cause I can do it with a broken heart would resonate with Cambridge students hitting their academic marks in spite of their pursual of rigorous degrees and dreams. Throughout the lyric video, Taylor is also shown performing onstage in a sparkling ball gown, reflecting the regal beauty of Cambridge’s collegiate campus.

It seems that Cambridge students can do anything, even with a broken heart.

Durham – Fearless

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The unconditional love and optimism spoken of throughout Taylor’s Fearless beautifully reflect the intimate, winding cobbles of Durham, with their antique charm seeming to radiate a glow off the pavement even as the years pass by.

As the romantic song progresses, Taylor’s exhilarating, freeing descriptions of a lover taking her by the hand to dance with her in a storm, while wearing her best dress, recall the simplicity and transcendent timelessness of true love, effortlessly mirroring Durham’s everlasting beauty despite all of the passing thunderstorms over the years.

Cardiff – The Man

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I’m not quite sure why, but Cardiff Uni is giving me strong The Man vibes.

As one of the most famous Welsh unis, Cardiff channels the dominance of the titular man in Taylor’s song who is not only complex and cool, but is also a fearless leader and an alpha type. Cardiff’s status as Wales’s only Russell Group uni definitely sets it apart from the others, and reaffirms the power that it harnesses as an institution, much like the power that Taylor laments that she would possess if only she were a man.

Edinburgh – New Romantics

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As a city, I feel that Edinburgh is renowned for its understated classiness. The light, feminine energy of New Romantics therefore resonates deeply with the refined vibes of Edinburgh Uni, which over 45,000 students call home. While studying at Edinburgh, it seems that you’d make countless friends to spend every night partying with, like a dream. Even if that sometimes means crying tears of mascara in the bathroom when those nights eventually come to an end.

After all, the best people in life are free.

Exeter – You Belong With Me

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The protagonist of Taylor’s singalong anthem You Belong With Me and its accompanying music video knows her worth, to say the least, and isn’t at all afraid to show it. To me, Exeter Uni radiates the same confident and assertive energy that Taylor exudes through the song.

The sweet, nerdy girl portrayed by Taylor herself in the You Belong With Me music video initially occupies a place in the shadow of the popular, mean girl cheerleader (also portrayed by Taylor). However, at the school prom, the wholesome nerdy girl undergoes a transformation and dazzles everyone in a gorgeous white prom gown and captivates her crush (the boyfriend of the mean cheerleader girl).

Like the protagonist of the music video, Exeter might be overshadowed by Oxbridge and Durham Uni in conversations, but it is a bold and classy institution in its own right, and should be celebrated equally for that. Maybe, when it comes to Exeter, what you’re looking for has been here the whole time.

Glasgow – Anti-Hero

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Again, it’s hard to explain this one, but Glasgow Uni gives me serious Anti-Hero vibes.

When the conversation switches to the subject of Scottish unis, I feel that Glasgow is often overshadowed by Edinburgh Uni, which means that Glasgow might be thought of as the underdog. Taylor’s song, which discusses similar ideas of rooting for the anti-hero, matches the vibes of Glasgow in this respect. Glasgow is underrated yet special in its own unique way, and it’s no less iconic despite often occupying a spot in Edinburgh’s shadow when the topic of unis in Scotland arises.

Leeds – Enchanted

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Leeds is a very popular city for contemporary culture and nightlife, and is sure to captivate those who love to venture out for a good party once the sun sets. Once Freshers arrive in the city, everyone truly seems enchanted to meet Leeds.

The city boasts more than 180 pubs and bars, 90 restaurants, and 29 nightclubs. During a wild, exhilarating, glittering night of partying and dancing your heart out at one of Leeds’s many clubs, you’ll probably be thinking to yourself, This night is sparkling, and you probably won’t ever want to let it go. Maybe, in another universe, a flawless night spent partying in Leeds is what inspired Taylor to write the song.

Liverpool – Style

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Just like Taylor’s red lip classic thing that you like, Liverpool is a city that certainly never goes out of style.

Liverpool’s fondness of fashion, and fashion’s firm intertwinement with the rest of the city’s dynamic culture, matches the classy vibes of Taylor’s singalong anthem Style perfectly. Maybe Taylor was inspired by long hair, slicked back and a white t-shirt, or a tight little skirt, that she could have seen on the catwalk at Liverpool Fashion Week while penning the song.

And over the past century, Liverpool has proudly been the home of so many beloved and timeless icons in pop culture. Ken Dodd. The Beatles. Cilla Black. This home-grown Liverpool talent has certainly lasted the test of time, just like that James Dean daydream look in your eye that Taylor sings about in the catchy chorus.

Manchester – Shake It Off

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Manchester is a bold, lively city which makes no apologies for its uniqueness and quirks. This means that Taylor’s self-empowering singalong anthem Shake It Off would be a perfect match for the city’s untameable vibrancy.

To me, Manchester channels the same unapologetic, childlike energy that Taylor exudes which she dances madly with ballerinas, cheerleaders and gymnasts in the music video. Throughout the entirety of the video, Taylor isn’t afraid at all to be in-your-face and quirky, and this playfulness and nonchalance for any potential criticisms of others is reflected in the unparalleled boldness of Manchester.

After all, the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, but Manchester’s just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake it off, shake it off!

Newcastle – cardigan

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Taylor’s song cardigan speaks of wistful memories surrounding a warm feeling of love, safety and beautiful vulnerability that fills a romantic relationship. Accompanied by the gentle melody of her piano accompaniment, Taylor compares herself metaphorically to an old cardigan under someone’s bed who was her lover’s favourite. She then goes on to sing about the intimacy of kisses in cars and downtown bars.

Taking a closer look at the lyrics, cardigan conjures up the image of the intimate, secret bars and historical university buildings of Newcastle. Maybe it was one of the many downtown bars nestled away in the nooks and crannies of Newcastle that Taylor was imagining when she wrote cardigan. And maybe it was one of Newcastle’s cobbled lanes, like High Bridge Street, that Taylor’s high heels were on in one of the song’s opening lines.

Nottingham – Cruel Summer

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Nottingham is a large, lively city boasting a vibrant nightlife. From hidden cocktail bars to popular live music venues, Nottingham truly comes to life once the sun goes down. The highs, lows, laughter and tears of wild nights out on the town is reflected so vividly in the lyrics of Cruel Summer.

In particular, the lines I’m drunk in the back of the car, / And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar brings to life chaotic student nights out where one minute you’re dancing the night away screaming lyrics in the club, and the next you’re in the back of a taxi with the girls, heartbroken and sobbing on the way home to Lenton.

Sheffield – Blank Space

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There’s something unapologetically rebellious about the city of Sheffield that is reminiscent of Taylor’s Blank Space.

Just like Taylor inside her darkly glamorous mansion in the music video, Sheffield can certainly show you incredible things. As well as the prestigious university, the city is full of vibrant culture and nightlife, boasting historic pubs, lively bars and endless music venues. It also boasts a close proximity to the beautiful green hills and landscapes of the nearby Peak District, which instantly brings to mind the manicured gardens in the grounds of the mansion that Taylor and her (now ex) man are seen strolling through and sharing a picnic in in the Blank Space video.

Warwick – august

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Warwick’s tranquil, leafy campus beautifully mirrors the peaceful vibes and atmosphere evoked by august.

I can just imagine Taylor penning the song while sitting under a tree, with its leaves turning red, orange and brown, on Warwick’s campus, as the final summer month begins to slip away into a moment in time. As soon as the soothing song begins to play, the cosiness and comfort of warm coffee, falling leaves and peaceful autumnal vibes is brought to life.

York – the lakes

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As a York girlie myself, I’m pretty sure Taylor wrote the lakes about the beautiful lakes and ponds all over York’s nature-filled campus. (In fact, I’m pretty sure that Taylor wrote the whole folklore album about York.)

As an English Lit girlie at York, the line Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die is singing to my soul, and the line I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet instantly brings to mind the delicate spring flowers that spring up from the grass on York’s campus when the winter snow melts away.

Out of all the Taylor Swift songs as Russell Group unis, York is definitely most obvious to be the lakes. The picturesque beauty of York’s lakes definitely inspires the writing of poetry like these lyrics.

The London unis (Imperial, King’s, University College London) – Bejeweled

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The gemstone-encrusted glamour of Taylor’s sparkly song Bejeweled perfectly suits the classiness and glamour of England’s capital.

Everywhere you look in London, you’re surrounded by the most majestic, towering skyscrapers and world-famous landmarks that appear to make the whole place shimmer just as brightly as Taylor does when she walks in the room.

London is also home to Hatton Garden, a street famous for its luxurious jewellers and diamond merchants. The luxurious lane is lovingly referred to as the “diamond district” of the city. Perhaps when Taylor was penning the song, the images that she conjured of diamonds in her eyes and sapphire tears were inspired by London’s very own Hatton Garden.

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