A Lot Going On at the Moment: Taylor Swift, Bar Prep, and Managing Overload

As Taylor Swift fans know, anticipation is building with her upcoming release of Life of a Showgirl just a few days away. The timing feels perfect to revisit one of her most iconic Easter eggs—the T-shirt moment—and connect it to the realities of bar exam preparation. Like Taylor gearing up for a new era, law students facing the bar exam know exactly what it means to have a lot going on at the moment.

The Shirt and Its Origins

If you’ve been around Swifties long enough, you’ve seen the phrase: “A lot going on at the moment.” It first became iconic during Taylor Swift’s Red era, especially in the “22” music video. In that video, Taylor wears a white T-shirt with the phrase “Not a lot going on at the moment.” Fans instantly picked up on it. The phrase became a kind of inside joke—a wink at how much really was going on, even when she downplayed it.

Over the years, Taylor has remixed the phrase: from “Not a lot going on at the moment” to “A lot going on at the moment,” signaling different points in her career. It became a visual shorthand for how she’s juggling fame, creativity, re-recordings, and now, with the upcoming release of Life of a Showgirl, the expansion of her artistry yet again.

So yes, when I put on this shirt, it’s not just a fashion choice. It’s a nod to Taylor, to the Easter egg culture of her fandom, and—if I’m honest—to how I feel right now, too.

Bar Prep: When There Really Is a Lot Going On

For law students, that shirt might as well be your uniform during bar prep. Think about it:

• You’re managing lectures, outlines, practice essays, multiple-choice sets, flashcards, and simulated exams.

  
  

• You’re juggling personal responsibilities, like work, family, maybe kids running through the hallway while you’re trying to time yourself on an MBE set.

  
  

• And you’re trying to stay healthy (mentally and physically) while staring down one of the hardest professional challenges of your life.

Like Taylor in "22," you might be smiling through it, but underneath? There’s definitely a lot going on at the moment.

5 Lessons from Taylor’s “22” and Beyond

Here’s the connection I see for bar exam takers:

1. Downplay the Chaos—But Do the Work. Taylor’s original shirt read “Not a lot going on.” But in reality, she was navigating worldwide fame and the biggest turning point of her career. Similarly, you may want to tell family or friends, “I’ve got it handled.” But we all know bar prep is a mountain climb. Don’t minimize it. Instead, acknowledge the work and then do it. In practice, that means setting a realistic schedule, logging your hours, and keeping yourself accountable even when you’d rather downplay the stress.

   
   

2. Reframe Your Narrative. By flipping the shirt to say “A lot going on at the moment,” Taylor owned the reality of her busy, demanding, and thrilling life. As a bar student, reframing your mindset matters: Instead of seeing the exam as crushing, see it as purposeful. Yes, there’s a lot going on, but it’s leading somewhere. A positive reframe can turn practice questions from punishments into progress markers, and essays from chores into opportunities to sharpen your skills.

   
   

3. Keep It Playful. The “22” video wasn’t just about stress. It was about joy, friendship, and dancing even when things were messy. You’ll need that same energy: Study seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. That balance can keep you going through the grind. Insert short breaks, find humor in wrong answers, and celebrate small wins along the way. And yes, I’ll admit it: part of why I can say this with a straight face is because I’m a Swiftie myself—wearing the shirt, pointing at it, and embracing the idea that even in chaos, you can still laugh and sing along.

   
   

4. Lean on Your Community. Taylor surrounded herself with friends in the “22” video, reminding us that fun (and support) makes the journey easier. In bar prep, your classmates, mentors, and family are that support system. Don’t isolate yourself. Join study groups, talk through difficult rules, or simply share your frustrations. Connection helps manage the weight of everything going on.

   
   

5. Trust the Rehearsals. Just like a performance doesn’t come together in one night, bar readiness comes from repeated rehearsal. Timed exams, practice MBE sets, and writing drills may feel exhausting, but they’re your stage practice. By the time you sit for the bar, you’ll have muscle memory on your side. Trust the process of repetition and refinement.

From the Song to the Showgirl Era

With Life of a Showgirl, Taylor is once again telling us that life’s performance—whether on stage, in the classroom, or at the bar exam—is about embracing the spectacle. There is a lot going on, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s part of the journey.

When you sit for the bar exam, think of it as your own show. The rehearsals are the practice questions, the outlines, and the timed simulations. The performance is the exam itself. And afterward? You get to bow, step back, and know you gave it everything.

And if I can admit it, this is where my Swiftie side comes out too. I’m not just writing about the shirt—I’m wearing it, living it, and letting it remind me (and my students) that even in the midst of the most overwhelming season, you can lean into the chaos, own the performance, and still find joy in the moment.

After all, as Taylor sings in "22," sometimes “we’re happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time.” That lyric captures bar prep perfectly: Contradictory emotions all bundled together, yet still worth dancing through. And let’s not forget another line—bar prep can feel “miserable and magical” all at once. You’ll have days where you question everything and others where a concept finally clicks. Both extremes are part of the same journey, and embracing that paradox can help you keep moving forward.