Taylor Swift received an honorary doctorate of fine arts on Wednesday from New York University and, while delivering this year's commencement speech at Yankee Stadium, offered recent graduates a wealth of advice which included learning to live "alongside cringe."
"No matter how hard you try to avoid being cringe, you will look back on your life and cringe retrospectively," she said, according to Variety. "Cringe is unavoidable over a lifetime. Even the term cringe might someday be deemed cringe."
Swift pointed out that students would likely find some of the things they are doing and wearing today, "revolting and hilarious" in time.
"For example, I had a phase where, for the entirety of 2012, I dressed like a 1950s housewife," she said. "But you know what? I was having fun. Trends and phases are fun. Looking back and laughing is fun."
Swift received her doctor of fine arts honor from Jason King, chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, part of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Addressing the recent graduates in her speech, she shared some other bits of "unsolicited advice."
"I'm a big advocate for not hiding your enthusiasm for things. It seems to me that there is a false stigma of eagerness in our culture of unbothered ambivalence," she said. "Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth.
"The people who wanted it the least were the ones I wanted to date and be friends with in high school. The people who want it most are the people I now hire to work for my company."
In addition to awarding Swift with an honorary doctorate, NYU also ran a course focused on the iconic singer-songwriter's musical career. Earlier this year Rolling Stone journalist and NYU alumna Brittany Spanos began teaching the course at the Clive Davis Institute which analyzes Swift's evolution as a musician, businesswoman, entrepreneur, country singer, and pop sensation, according to Variety.
"I've been covering Taylor Swift since I began my writing career a decade ago and have been a superfan of hers for even longer," Spanos said, according to the outlet. "It's such an honor to be able to share my Swiftie expertise with a sharp group of students."