Taylor Swift is currently on one of the most famous tours in music history, cleverly titled “The Eras Tour,” representing her 10 albums as “eras” of her life. An all-stadium tour with 52 shows, the Eras Tour quite literally broke Ticketmaster when tickets were on sale. Swift broke the record for the most concert tickets sold in a single day during just the pre-sale period. Tickets for the public were never even put on sale. 

Taylor Swift fans, dubbed “Swifties,” have been pooling tips in order for fans to have the most enjoyable experience at the Eras Tour. As a Swiftie, I am here to give future attendees some tips so they can have the best night of their life. My credibility? I flew to Phoenix, Arizona on March 17th to attend the very first night of the tour. 

Because of TikTok, often known as SwiftTok, I was worried about seeing spoilers for the show before going in May. I contemplated deleting the app, but I was just so worried about seeing spoilers everywhere else. I wanted to go into the show with a fresh mind and zero expectations. 

On March 15th, two days before the first show, I pulled up the Delta website in one tab and Stubhub in the other. I managed to find a cheap resale ticket, and I was lucky enough to have a flight credit on Delta. I rescheduled the test I was supposed to take that day and booked my flight. I flew to Phoenix and was there for only eight hours total, landing at 5:00 p.m., attending the show and departing again on a red-eye flight. It was the greatest experience of my life. 

There is a lot that goes into having a great experience at the Eras Tour. First things first, people need to arrive at the stadium early. Traffic is crazy. It took me over an hour to drive just a few miles to the stadium. I recommend taking an Uber or public transportation, getting dropped off far from the stadium and walking (bring walking shoes). 

If a person wants to buy merchandise, they should plan to arrive at the stadium at least a few hours before the doors open to the stadium. Merch goes fast at these shows. When I got in line, every single sweatshirt was sold out. Make sure to get into the stadium early to be first in line at the booth. I recommend buying merch inside the stadium rather than at the truck, which is parked in the parking lots.  

The show, including openers, is almost five hours. Swift is on for three hours, with a 44-song setlist. This means water, snacks and bathroom breaks need to be planned out. At the first show, the stadium actually ran out of water bottles, so be sure to buy those earlier rather than later.

Without revealing any spoilers, the show itself is truly magical. Swift takes the crowd through her “Eras,” with dozens of costumes and set changes. Swifties have little chants and inside jokes with Swift herself, so make sure to learn those beforehand. The two most famous are during the songs “Delicate” and “Bad Blood.” 

Of course, take pictures and videos, but also, do not forget to live in the moment. Also, people should have someone take a picture of them and their group at the show. I am so happy to have a photo of myself with the stage in the background. 

Fast forward to about 11:15 p.m., when the show ends. I am warning now: there is no encore. Confetti will pop during the last song, and that is it. Once the show ends, people need to make a break for it. The foot traffic leaving the stadium is crazy. People need to do their best to weave around others, because the sooner people get to the exit, the less traffic they will be sitting in. 

If parked at the stadium, try to drive out fast. If using rideshare services, walk at least 15 to 20 minutes away and then order the car. I heard people had to wait hours for Ubers to become available, and they cost hundreds of dollars. One’s best bet is definitely to take public transportation. 

It does not matter if someone is the biggest Swiftie in the world or a casual listener of her music. They will enjoy the show. It is a wonderful experience, regardless of if one knows all the songs or chants. Swift knows how to entertain a crowd. She is bubbly, her dancers are energetic and the crowd is electric. 

For any Villanovans gearing up to see Swift at Lincoln Financial Field in the coming weeks, get ready to be blown away.