If they are here in this stadium, I hope you’ll find your own way to express your gratitude for all the steps and missteps that have led us to this common destination. Maybe they aren’t with us anymore, and in that case I hope you’ll remember them today. Someone tried their best to explain every concept in this insanely complex world to the child that was you, as you asked a bazillion questions like ‘how does the moon work’ and ‘why can we eat salad but not grass.’ And maybe they didn’t do it perfectly. Someone read stories to you and taught you to dream and offered up some moral code of right and wrong for you to try and live by. Those who told us we could do it when there was absolutely no proof of that. We are each a patchwork quilt of those who have loved us, those who have believed in our futures, those who showed us empathy and kindness or told us the truth even when it wasn’t easy to hear. Not a single one of us here today has done it alone. And let me just say, I am elated to be here with you today as we celebrate and graduate New York University’s Class of 2022. As for me, I’m…90% sure the main reason I’m here is because I have a song called ‘22’. I feel so proud to share this day with my fellow honorees Susan Hockfield and Felix Matos Rodriguez, who humble me with the ways they improve our world with their work.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to NYU‘s Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Bill Berkeley and all the trustees and members of the board, NYU’s President Andrew Hamilton, Provost Katherine Fleming, and the faculty and alumni here today who have made this day possible. Last time I was in a stadium this size, I was dancing in heels and wearing a glittery leotard. Read Taylor Swift’s full speech from NYU’s 2022 commencement ceremony, then watch it below, beginning at about the two-hour, 47-minute mark. “Let me just say: Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you,” she said with a smirk at the beginning of her address, and at the end: “So let’s just keep dancing like we’re … the class of ’22.” Nice gift shop and concessions.Taylor Swift Rocks Her First Cap and Gown in NYU Commencement Address Prep VideoĪnd in true Taylor fashion, she also spared a couple moments to poke fun at herself and reference a couple of her most fitting songs.

If you are tall, say over 5’10” (maybe even less…) you will have to crouch down for the the ride up and down in the pod. The pods that take you to the top each hold 5 people but are really small. One side has a great view of the city, the other- and old casino and a brown river… If you are claustrophobic, this visit is NOT for you. Up at the top the windows are teeny tiny and are on both sides. The really cool part was as the sun hit the stainless steel during different parts of the day, the Arch looks different too! There is a huge grassy area outside.

Parked nearby on a street for just a couple of dollars at a pay meter. To see the Arch outside is free, but you have to buy a ticket to go in the museum and ride to the top. Used the America the Beautiful NPS pass to get a $6 dollar discount on two tickets. Today was almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside so there was no one around at all. Quite a sight to behold, both on the ground and high above. The Gateway Arch was designated as the 60th US National Park in 2018.

Gateway arch national park poster