Taylor Swift Best Quotes From NYU Graduation Speech

NYU announced Swift’s academic achievement in March, describing her as “one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of her generation.”

“Last time I was in a stadium this size, I was dancing in heels and wearing a glittery leotard. This outfit is much more comfortable.”

On her cap and gown: 

“I know that words are supposed to be my thing, but I will never be able to find the words to thank my mom and dad, my brother Austin, for the sacrifices they made every day so I could go from singing in coffee houses to standing up here with you all today, because no words would ever be enough.”

On her family:

“I’d like to thank NYU for making me — technically, on paper, at least — a doctor. Not the type of doctor you would want around in case of an emergency. Unless your specific emergency was that you desperately needed to hear a song with a catchy hook and an intensely cathartic bridge section. Of if your emergency was that you needed a person who can name over 50 breeds of cats in one minute.”

On her new degree:

“Decide what is yours to hold, and let the rest go. Often times, the good things in your life are lighter anyway — so there’s more room for them. One toxic relationship can outweigh so many wonderful, simply joys. You get to pick what your life has time and room for. Be discerning.”

On her advice to new grads:

“Learn to live alongside cringe. No matter how hard you try to avoid being cringe, you will look back on your life and cringe retrospectively. Cringe is unavoidable over a lifetime ... you can’t avoid it, so don’t try to.”

On questionable choices:

“Effortlessness is a myth. The people who wanted it the least, were the ones I wanted to date and be friends with in high school. The people who want it the most, are the people I now hire to work for my company.”

On trying hard:

“Having the world treat my love life like a spectator sport in which I lose every single game was not a great way to date in my teens and 20s! But it taught me to protect my private life fiercely.”

On learning from the hard stuff:

“Losing things doesn’t just mean losing. A lot of the time, when we lose things, we gain things, too.”

On new perspective:

“Hard things will happen to us. We will recover, we will learn from it, we will grow more resilient because of it. And as long as we are fortunate enough to be breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, and breathe out. And I am a doctor now, so I know how breathing works.”

On moving forward: