When I first heard 1989, I was immediately attached to the song “Clean.” I grew up in a single family home, due to intense trauma from my father. No one could save me from the trauma I was about to endure. In the years that followed, my father began using the dangerous substance known as meth. This is when my family began crashing down. For years, my father had hidden this. However, he did something unforgiving. He cleaned out my college fund that my mom had been saving for years. Thirty thousand dollars for college, gone in a snap. However, I was able to listen to Taylor and feel better about my parental abandonment. When I was in 6th grade, I finally chose my peace over my father. When I listen to the lyrics of Clean, I resonate with every morsel of energy that Taylor sings. As someone who grew up with a single mother, I know how financially irresponsibly can badly affect you. To me, financial responsibility means opening up a savings account, saving when you can for unexpected things, and planning a budget. My mother has had the same job for 35 years. As a single mother, she feared that changing jobs would decrease her already low income. Therefore, I got a part-time job in order to not burden her with money. Sadly, my mom has to choose between paying bills and paying my college tuition. However, being a Taylor Swift fan is an amazing way to cope with the hardships that I have faced. I have been a Swiftie since 2006 when she released her debut album, and I felt emotionally supported by the 1989 album and the song Clean. I felt that she was accurately describing my situation. I felt the heaviness and burden of carrying my relationship with an addict. Anyone with substance abusive parents knows the horrible feeling. It feels as though you are being disappointed constantly as you wait for something bad to happen to them. When I finally cut my father off, I really did feel Clean. Although I missed that relationship, it was liberating to let go off. Taylor says, “Just because you’re clean don’t mean you don’t miss it.” This statement is so true. However, the rain came down but I finally felt as if I was able to breathe. 1989 helped me cope through this tough time in my life. I can now look at this song with peace and happiness that I did choose myself over my father. I am in charge of my own destiny and I have come so far without him. I hope Taylor would be proud and support this decision of mine to cut off a family member, even if it is a hard thing to do.

As someone who grew up with a single mother, I know how financially irresponsibly can badly affect you. To me, financial responsibility means opening up a savings account, saving when you can for unexpected things, and planning a budget. My mother has had the same job for 35 years. As a single mother, she feared that changing jobs would decrease her already low income. Therefore, I got a part-time job in order to not burden her with money. Sadly, my mom has to choose between paying bills and paying my college tuition. Therefore, I know that being financially responsible takes working hard and being smart with your money. For instance, in order to not burden my mother with paying college tuition as much as I can, I surpassed my freshman year of college through dual enrollment and earned multiple scholarships to pay for my current sophomore year of college. Therefore, my mother has not had to pay a single dime yet for my college tuition. However, this will not be the case for my last two years unless I work hard to make good grades and apply for scholarships. I know how bad financially it can be, as well. For instance, my parents divorced when I was five due to my father's heavy meth use. no one could save me from the trauma I was about to endure. In the years that followed, my father began using the dangerous substance known as meth. This is when my family began crashing down. For years, my father had hidden this. However, he did something unforgiving. He cleaned out my college fund that my mom had been saving for years. Thirty thousand dollars for college, gone in a snap. Through elementary school, teachers played such a huge role in my life, they helped me work through all the tough times of my dad’s drug use. The light bulb went off around fourth grade, I knew I was meant to be a teacher to help kids of divorced and trauma just like me. When I began high school, I enrolled in every single Early Childhood Education class I could find to try and gain knowledge for this financial reason. My mother had been saving money for my college before I was even born. She had thirty thousand dollars in a savings account for me. However, when my father got excruciatingly horrendous, he cleaned out my college tuition savings account. It was gone in an instant. My mother was devastated. Therefore, I know that money can vanish instantly no matter how long you save it, even if it is not your fault. From then on, my mother has tried to recoup the money, but it has never been replenished. Therefore, it is up to me solely to pay for school and reach my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher. I want to be able to help kids who were not wealthy know that they can attend college regardless of how much money they have. That is why it is so important to teach about financial responsibility. It is vital for kids and even adults to know that they can be finically stable if they use their knowledge to their advantage.