a not-so-cruel summer by Fatima A. '25

it is the hot girl summer //

went to The Eras Tour and over-thought, over-analyzed, over-felt every moment of it // dyed my hair purple // watched Qala a little too late and cried a little too much // cut my hair way too short // didn’t regret it // caught up with old friends // dressed in pink to watch Barbie! with my sister // screamed to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) // talked about the Vault tracks, the lyric change, the production, the music video for ‘I Can See You,’ everything // screamed to BLACKPINK with my other sister // clowned for, anticipated and saw the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) announcement on a livestream in my bed // made Spotify blends and endlessly scrolled through travel reels // cried and cried // 

happiness of celebrating girlhood // celebrating art and uniqueness and strangeness // acknowledging the complexities of motherhood // lifting the curtain off an artist’s life // being brave enough to face the ugliness // finding complete love and trust // moments of deep reflection // recollections // connections // pure excitement // shallow happiness that takes over you // completely // talk to me now // make me believe in beauty now // cry and cry // 

i love being a girl // let me be //