Before becoming the biggest pop star in the world, Taylor Swift was J-14 Magazine‘s advice columnist in December 2008. That’s right, while promoting her Fearless album 16 years ago, the singer-songwriter gave fans advice on topics such as dealing with the rumor mill, being the “tall friend” and worrying about having “a lot of ex-boyfriends.”
Keep reading for everything she said in a resurfaced magazine found deep in the J-14 archives.
Should I fight back against the rumors being spread about me? — Yazi
Taylor: If the rumor questions your character and who people think you are, it’s always good to confront it in a classy way. You never want to walk up to a girl who is talking badly about you behind your back and scream at her. That just proves that what she’s saying about you might be true. But if the rumors are bad enough and you know the source of them, you might want to approach that person and ask them why they’re doing it, explaining that you’re hurt by it. Always remember to keep your voice at a quiet, even tone — that’s the best way to approach a girl. Getting loud always makes people get defensive, and it’s just going to escalate into a catfight, and you never want to be that girl.
I have a few guy friends, but other than that, no guys seem to like me. Help! — Shannon
Taylor: I was always the single girl in school. I didn’t have guys chasing after me, and some days I would wonder why. When you’re in school and guys don’t like you, it’s easy to feel insecure, but later on in life, when you meet the guy who’s perfect for you, you’ll be glad you didn’t have 25,000 boyfriends before you met him, because he won’t have to worry about a lot of ex-boyfriends.
This boy calls me “Giant” or “Goliath” and thinks it’s funny. I’m 11 and 5’8”, and it makes me sad. — Anonymous
Taylor: I was always the tall girl in school. I know what it’s like to be standing around in a circle of girls where you’re the tallest one and not on anyone else’s eye level. Let the guy know that it hurts you when he says that, then have the courage to say, “I don’t make fun of you. Please don’t make fun of me.” Hopefully, he takes that to heart. Always remember that when you’re in school and people are making fun of things that make you different, it’s east to start to hate those things about yourself. But as soon as you get out of high school and into the real world, the things that make you different make you special. You should never cover those things up and be ashamed of them.
See below to see the advice column in print:
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