By Cindy Tian ’27
During your first few weeks at Choate, did you ever feel adrift or set apart from everyone else? Or, perhaps, you found yourself wondering why your grades didn’t align with the effort you were putting in? These new experiences, while challenging, are crucial to personal growth and finding yourself. In search of songs that mirror the unique Choate experience, I have found that “A Place in this World” by Taylor Swift perfectly captures my time at the School so far.
Choate is very different from my old school in Massachusetts, which had a much smaller, close-knit community. Choate is almost two times the size of my middle school and offers more diverse opportunities for students to choose their own paths. Throughout my transition from a smaller, more rigid community to a larger, more open one, I have slowly learned more about who I am and where I belong.
“A Place in this World” captures the essence of this transition from middle to high school. Released at the start of her music career in 2006, Swift’s debut self-titled studio album eloquently expresses the feeling of not knowing where one truly belongs and the journey towards self-recognition.
She sings: “And tomorrow is just a mystery … trying to find a place in this world.” Her lyrics explain her uncertainty concerning her future. She doesn’t know how it will play out and where she will belong.
Though excited for her future, Swift was unsure of what would fill her life’s pages. I, too, am exploring these uncertainties and looking forward to what’s to come in my next four years at Choate.
As a dancer, particularly one in the rigorous world of ballet, there are times when I question the worthiness of my pursuit. Though a ballet step may look effortless to the audience, a dancer spends hours on each minuscule detail. Similar to academics, sports, or social life, the surface can appear trivial, but motivation and effort are required for authentic success. For me, that motivation has been bolstered by listening to “A Place in This World”.
The lively rhythm and melody, driven by acoustic guitar chords and drum beats, continue to guide me through my process of becoming who I dream to be.
This song has become a loyal companion of mine during these first couple of months of high school, reminding me that the process of finding oneself requires determination and perseverance. Whether striving for perfection in a ballet routine or struggling through a physics test, Swift has reminded me to stay strong through adversity.
During this challenging period of transition, I have set out on a path of self-discovery. I believe that the message “A Place in this World” conveys is that it is necessary to persevere through hardships to find yourself, both when navigating life at Choate and beyond. I encourage every one of you to find a song that encapsulates your Choate experience. I believe it will help illuminate your journey.
