You Might Want to Think Twice Before You Take That Nap, Says Science

Nicole Briese
Jun 27, 2016

We’ve all been there: You get home from work, and you’re just SO. TIRED. So you lay down just to “rest your eyes” for a few minutes… annddddddd before you know, you’re completely and totally passed out. Heck, some people aren’t even waiting until they get home to get their naps on!

Ah, well. No harm in a little nap now and then, right? With an entire day devoted to the activity, it can’t be all that bad! Actually, according to a new study conducted by the American College of Cardiology, it kinda’ sorta’ is.

In a study of more than 300,000 people, those that took regular naps of just 40 minutes or more were found to have significantly increased their risk for metabolic issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and extra fat gain around the waist. (Eeeeep!)

What’s more, those who slept for even longer periods of time (90 minutes or more) increased their risk for type 2 diabetes by 50% — a pretty terrifying stat, indeed.

This has to be some kind of a sick joke, right? Unfortunately not, but the one saving grace may be that these findings only applied to individuals indulging in longer naps — those who slept for 30 minutes or less actually saw decreases in metabolic risks.

As big nap advocates, we’ve gotta’ say, we’re a little bummed about this one. While we won’t be giving up naps entirely, we’ll certainly be more conscious of how long we sleep from here on out. So long, snooze button — ye served us well!

Will this news affect your napping habits? Let us know over @BritandCo!

(h/t Cosmopolitan, photos via Getty)

7 Ways to Stay Positive Even During the Toughest Times

A lot of people pride themselves on being optimists, and TBH, if you canstay positivewith everything that’s going on in the world today, major props to you. For most people who consider themselves the glass-half-full type, it’s a lifestyle. They try to look at everything that comes their way, from relationship troubles to work mistakes, with a positive spin. But a recent study investigated whether optimists still stay more positive than pessimists when things get really tough, and what they found was pretty surprising.


Scientists analyzed nine previous studies to see how both optimists and pessimists brace themselves for receiving important and potentially negative news, like medical test results. They found that even though people who identify as optimists tend to be more positive in general, they too start assuming the worst as the moment of truth about something important nears. It’s easy to understand this instinct, since some people tend to believe that preparing yourself for the worst will ultimately make it less shocking if it happens. On the other hand, some people would rather stay positive whenever possible, since it’s easier to fight off stress and anxiety when you have a sunny outlook. Here, we’ve gathered some of our favorite expert tips for staying optimistic when you’re dealing with some super hard stuff.

How To Stay Positive

1.Learn to reframe negativity. “The trick to positivity is not avoiding pessimism,” says Elaine Taylor-Klaus, a certified professional coach. “It’s really about how quickly you can redirect your focus from negative to positive. Critical thinkers are going to see problems to be solved, but the ability to ‘reframe’ the conversation is the really important skill for people to practice.” She recommends getting into the habit of acknowledging negative thoughts and then asking, “What else is possible here?” This can guide you back into a positive mindset more quickly.

“Bottom line: Negativity happens,” she says. “Positivity is a choice, and the quicker you learn to reframe, the more time you’ll spend in a positive space. Then, over time, the more likely you are to turn directly to a positive interpretation of events.”

2. Ask yourself if this will matter a month or year from now. Sometimes things seem crucial AF in the moment, but might be inconsequential even just a few days after that. Just think about high school drama. “When we can leave the past behind and even know in the present moment that this feeling won’t last, it can help to remind us that time heals and life goes on,” explainsSharon Stokes, life-fulfillment coach.

3.Give back. Volunteering is an amazing way to change your entire perspective, saysLyssa Menard, a clinical health psychologist, founder of Strategies for Changeand assistant professor at Northwestern University’s medical school. “There are many organizations that don’t require an ongoing commitment, so sign up for an event that’s meaningful. Research shows that giving to others is one of the quickest routes toward happiness. While happiness and positivity are different, they’re correlated,” Lyssa says.

4. Role play to be more objective. Playing a little mind trick on yourself can work wonders, says Lori Scherwin of Strategize That, a career coaching service. “We’re often better at helping others than ourselves,” she notes. “Make the situation more objective and less personal to you. For example, consider if it were anyone else in the situation (like your best friend, partner or colleague). How would you see the same ‘problem?’ What advice might you give them to get out of it?” she asks. This will help you shift from being super hard on yourself to more objective, and most likely, more positive.

5. Make changes to things that are within your control. Spending time worrying about something that you can’t change isn’t really worth the effort. Instead, “Focus on areas where you have agency,” suggests Holly Burton, a career coach for women in male-dominated industries. “You may be stuck in a role you don’t love at work, but you could probably work a few extra hours a week and take on a project that interests you. You could also schedule some proactive meetings with your boss to make an action plan to develop the skills you need to make a lateral move,” she says. In most situations, whether they’re career-related or not, it’s possible to take actions to make things better for yourself.

6. Practice radical acceptance. Some professional coaches suggest trying out the idea of radical acceptance, which is basically accepting the things you cannot change, even if they’re not right or you don’t agree with them.

7.Try this gratitude challenge. First, journal about one event each day for seven days that made you feel happy and/or thankful and include the specifics of why it made you feel that way, going deep into the details. Second, send one random thank you email or text to someone each day, either personally or professionally. This message should include what they did and why it’s worthy of the shout out. Detailed gratitude journals are proven to improve your life satisfaction, so try to stick to a gratitude practice, even in the good times!

What do you do when you’re trying to stay optimistic? Have you tried any of these techniques? Tell us about it @BritandCo!

This article has been updated.

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Starbucks Is Launching Spicy Lemonade Refreshers Tomorrow!

Stop what you’re doing! Folks, Starbucks is bringing us something spicy starting on April 16, 2024. Three all-new Refreshers with a spicy twist will join menus for a limited time!

We’ve also finally got some intel on this year’s Starbucks summer menu!

Per menu leaks from popular foodie and inside source, @markie_devo, the Starbucks summer menu will introduce some pretty wacky drinks that include never-before-seen flavors and ingredients. In addition to 6 new summery sips, it appears Starbucks will introduce a few fruityfood items, too.

The new drinks and snacks on the Starbucks summer menu will allegedly hit stores on May 7. Scroll for everything on spicy Refreshers, plus what new items will be joining the rest of the Starbucks summer menu!

Take note that the Starbucks summer menu rumors are just rumors (at least for now), and have not been officially confirmed. Let’s get into it!

Starbucks Is Doing Something Spicy...

Image via Starbucks

Spicy Dragonfruit Refresher

Rumors about some spicy Starbucks Refreshers were floating around the internet after @markie_devo posted a potential lineup, but the news is now officially official per Starbucks!

The first drink (of three new Refreshers) is the Spicy Dragonfruit Refresher. The drink is your traditional fruity Refresher, except shaken with lemonade and a new Spicy Chili Powder Blend to bring a nice kick of flavor!

The spicy Refreshers will be available for limited time and will be released in stores on April 16, 2024.

Image via Starbucks

Spicy Strawberry Refresher

The Spicy Strawberry Refresher looks the most refreshing of all the spicy Starbucks drinks. It's just the OG Strawberry Refresher base shaken with zesty lemonade, ice, fruit bits, and the chili spice blend. I bet it'd be so heavenly if you ordered it blended with ice, so it becomes a nice slushy texture!

Image via Starbucks

Spicy Pineapple Refresher

I'm most excited about this drink because in my opinion, pineapple and spice are a classic combo! I've eaten way too much Tajin-covered fruit in my lifetime, and I can only hope this drink emulates those flavors! This one also seems like the perfect contender to add a lil' splash of tequila for an easy cocktail. 👀

Image via Starbucks

Spicy Cream Cold Foam

Starbucks is also offering Spicy Cream Cold Foam starting on April 16. It's crafted with Starbucks classic cold foam and their new Spicy Chili Powder Blend, and you can add it to any iced drink! I'd definitely try it on an iced mocha, so the chili and chocolate blend together for a tasty Mexican chocolate feel.

What People Are Saying About The Spicy Starbucks Refreshers

Image via Starbucks

In the wake of brand-new spicy drinks at Starbucks, some customers were thrown off by the initial menu rumors that @markie_devo posted.

"🤮 kinda takes away the “refreshing” aspect lol," one person wrote. "But I guess people who like spicy stuff on fruit will be happy."

One Starbucks barista commented on the validity of the menu rumors, saying: "As someone who works at Starbucks, this isn’t fake, we got our chili powder in already 😃"

I'm excited to see how this pans out! Once the drinks hit stories, I'll taste-test the new Refreshers for myself and report back.

When does the Starbucks summer menu come out?

According to unconfirmed rumors posted online, the Starbucks summer menu is set to come out on May 7, 2024.

Does Starbucks have boba?

Photo by Telly Mina / PEXELS

Starbucks has never served boba nationwide before, but they did test it regionally for a brief period in late 2021. According to Tasting Table, only two Starbucks locations (one in California, one in Washington) tested out coffee boba pearls back then. The pearls were also popping boba (like the new summer drinks), but weren't received super well.

One person that tried the boba drinks in 2021 said the pearls were "really small and awkward to drink." People engaging in online discourse about the coffee boba pearls weren't happy about the attention and revenue the boba could potentially take away from small businesses serving authentic Taiwanese boba.

What's On The *Leaked* Starbucks Summer Menu

NEW! Summer-Berry Starbucks Refresher

The rumored Starbucks summer menu lists a brand-new line of iced Refresher drinks, with the Summer-Berry flavor leading! And... it has boba!

This alleged new sip is described as "a sweet summer blend of raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors mixed with water, lemonade or coconut milk and shaken with ice." It's poured over raspberry-flavored popping boba, which I expect would amp up the berry vibes even more!

NEW! Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher

This next rumored sip is shaken with lemonade rather than water, which could give it a citrusy, zingy effect. Lemonade is the perfect bev for summertime, and I have a hunch it could pair really well with the rumored raspberry boba pearls.

NEW! Summer Skies Drink Refresher

The Starbucks summer menu rumors don't quite detail what the Summer Skies Refresher is, but based on the leaked images, I think it could just be the Summer-Berry Refresher with a splash of coconut milk, much like the Starbucks Pink Dink. It'll also include fruity boba! And based on the images, it appears Starbucks could supply wider green straws to help you sip up the pearls.

Image via Starbucks

White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew

We've seen this drink on Starbucks menus before, and it's allegedly returning for summer 2024, which I am so excited about. The White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew features "Starbucks signature cold brew sweetened with macadamia syrup, topped with a silky white-chocolate macadamia cream cold foam and finished with toasted cookie crumbles," according to Starbucks.

I feel like nutty flavors are more fit for fall, but it's nice that Starbucks is offering an option for the warmer months with this rumored returning iced coffee drink!

NEW! Orange Cream Cake Pop

The Starbucks summer menu rumors introduce a brand-new cake pop! The Orange Cream Cake Pop is described as "orange cream cake mixed with buttercream, dipped in chocolatey icing and finished with an orange slice design." The cute orange slice design honestly does it for me. I love an orange Dreamsicle, so I hope this Starbucks snack lives up to that standard!

NEW! Pineapple Cloud Cake

This rumored sweet snack is described as an "airy cake layered with a lightweight pineapple cream and pineapple spread with whole fruit pieces all topped with a sweet drizzle." It looks so yum.

What People Are Saying About The Rumored Starbucks Summer Menu

IG @markie_devo

The Starbucks summer menu rumors have sparked a fair amount of excitement online. A few commenters on @markie_devo's initial menu leak post said the proposed lineup looks appetizing and exciting.

"Now this looks good 💯🔥," one person wrote. "Finally something DIFFERENT," another said.

Some Starbucks fans were anticipating entirely different drinks for the summer menu, like the S'mores Frappuccino that came out in 2019.

"Where's the smores frapp😫," the first comment reads. "Wish they’d bring back the S’mores Frappuccino 😔," another wrote.

Starbucks isn't the first big coffee chain to add boba to their menu. Dunkin' had featured strawberry-flavored popping pearls on their menu back in 2021, and Dutch Bros just debuted their version in February 2024. Some Starbucks customers commenting on the menu rumors noticed this.

"Stole from Dutch lmao," one person wrote. "Dunkin did it first lol. But these are super interesting," another said.

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Images via @markie_devo on Instagram, Starbucks.

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How Your Myers-Briggs Personality Type Affects Your Dreams

It's fun to learn more about ourselves and to feel understood — that's why we take personality tests so incessantly. And since we live in an age of increased self-awareness, we can apply those tests to so many things, like our Hogwarts house and makeup preferences. Clearly, knowing thyself has taken on a whole new meaning lately, and we love the things that these tests can tell us — but did you ever wonder how your personality might affect your dreams? In a new study, Best Mattress Brand set out to discover whether specific types of people had particular types of dreams. Read on for their fascinating results.

The test explored each component of the Myers-Briggs types, which can be broken down into eight characteristics:

Extraversion or Introversion: This is the way you focus your energy. Extroverts focus on the outside world, and Introverts focus on their inner world.

Sensing or Intuition: This is the way you process information. Sensing individuals focus on the facts, and Intuitive individuals interpret the facts.

Thinking or Feeling: This is the way you make decisions. Thinkers process decisions logically, and Feelers make decisions with context and emotion in mind.

Judging or Perceiving: This is the lens through which you interpret the world. Judgers prefer decisive action, while Perceivers like to keep their options open.

Together, your individual combination of these eight traits creates your personality type. Given these traits as variables, the study surveyed 1,000 people on their Myers Briggs traits and their sleep habits.

As you'd imagine, there were a lot of discrepancies between Introverts and Extroverts. Interestingly enough, Extroverts are 17.7 percent more satisfied with their levels of energy during waking hours than their introverted counterparts. Perhaps it's because of their dream habits: Extroverts also have 8.3 percent fewer nightmares than Introverts. Extroverts also dream about traveling 13.9 percent more often than Introverts do.

What about the content of these dreams? If you're Intuitive, you're 16.8 percent more likely to dream about being killed than Sensers are. ­Apparently, Intuitive individuals' dreams are more violent across the board: They also dream about getting attacked and “punching something with no effect" more often.

There's also a substantial difference between Thinkers and Feelers when it comes to dreams. The more emotional Feelers dream about getting pregnant more often than Thinkers do, and they dream about their friends more often too. Perhaps Thinkers are just thinking too hard; they talk in their sleep almost 10 percent more than Feelers do.

The Judgers and Perceivers have their differences as well; in fact, Perceivers have night terrors 10.2 percent more often than Judgers, probably due to the fact that they experience reality so deeply.

Does your personality type match up with these findings? Let us know @BritandCo.

(Photo via Brit + Co)

This post has been updated.

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Taylor Swift Is Sending The Internet On A Scavenger Hunt Ahead Of "The Tortured Poets Department"

We are now two for two on expecting Taylor Swift to announce Reputation (Taylor's Version) during an acceptance speech and getting an album announcement instead. After showing up to the 2022 VMAs in a "Look What You Made Me Do"-inspired outfit and announcing Midnights, Taylor Swift wore a black and white ensemble on the 2024 Grammys red carpet before telling the world her new album The Tortured Poets Department is coming this spring!

And while accepting the 2024 iHeart Radio Music Award for Artist of the Year, Taylor also promises the rest of 2024 will be just as exciting as 2023. "We have so many exciting things ahead of us," the 1989 (Taylor's Version)singer says after thanking iHeart and the fans. "Most importantly, I have a brand new album called The Tortured Poets Department, which comes out on April 19. I cannot wait to share it with you...I just can't wait to keep having fun with you guys because we have a lot of exciting things coming up."

Here's everything we know about the new Taylor Swift album. (And everything you need to know about Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version) too ;)).

When is The Tortured Poets Department release date?

Image via Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The Tortured Poets Department is dropping April 19, 2024. It looks like ahead of the release, Taylor Swift is sending fans on a scavenger hunt to gather clues about the album. @eurosweetheart on TikTok points out that on Apple Music, certain song lyrics from Taylor's discography feature random capital letters. But when the letters are strung together, they form words! So far, we have "Hereby" and "Conduct." Are we getting an announcement? Are these Tortured Poets Department lyrics? Taylor does love to reference games in her lyrics so this should come as a surprise to no one ;).

At the Eras Tour shows in Tokyo, Taylor Swift explained when she started working on TTPD. “I’ve been working on Tortured Poets since right after I turned in Midnights,” she said onstage. “So, you turn in an album months in advance…and I’ve been working on it for about two years. I kept working on it throughout the U.S. tour and when it was perfect, in my opinion, when it was good enough for you, I finished it.”

"Soon you'll get to hear it, soon we'll get to experience it together," she continued. "I'm over the moon about the fact that you guys care about my music...Everyone’s like, ‘Why do you make so many albums?’ And I’m like, ‘Man, because I love it! I love it so much! I’m having fun, leave me alone.'”

The brand new album follows Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and 1989 (Taylor's Version). When Midnights was announced after Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), I wondered whether she'd have a two rerecordings, one new album pattern and it looks like that's what we're getting!

What is Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department?

Image via Taylor Swift/Instagram

Taylor Swift's new album (which is also referred to as TS11) is called The Tortured Poets Department. Taylor Swift announced the album while accepting the award for Best Pop Album at the 2024 Grammys. While we don't know the exact vibe of the album, over the last year, we've gotten quite a few clues about what we can expect! Just like "Daylight" at the end of Lover sets up Midnights, I think "Dear Reader" sets up The Tortured Poets Department.

And in honor of the eclipse on April 8, Taylor Swift posted the first lyrics from TS11! "Crowd goes wild at her fingertips // Half moonshine // Full eclipse," the lyric post reads. While some fans think this could be a line from "Florida!!!" (which we're expecting to reference her Florida Eras Tour shows), others say it could be from "Clara Bow."

"The first line makes you think of someone who’s famous (Clara Bow was an actress) and...moonshine was a type of alcohol that was popular during prohibition during the 1920s which is when Clara Bow was famous," one comment reads.

Taylor's official announcement features even more beautiful language that evokes the same emotion "The Lakes" does, which makes me believe TTPD will be similar to Folklore and Evermore (maybe it'll even serve as the third sister album Swifties thought we'd get in 2021?). Some fans are also convinced TTPD connects to Reputation, and TBH, I'm hopping on this train!

"I think the two albums are sisters albums, but in like an opposite way," one Reddit user says. "Reputation is all black, this one is going to be all white and softly coded." Another agrees: "Reputation is presented as a dark album but is truly a love album...This one is presented as soft and white but I bet the lyrics will be devastating."

I'm expecting TS11 to have the same lyrical prowess as songs like "Would've, Should've, Could've," The National's "The Alcott" (on which Taylor's a featured artist), and "You're Losing Me." Taylor is all about looking past appearances and telling a complex story, and The Tortured Poets Department will be no different. Just like Reputation is an edgy, glittery, emotionally-charged version of the beginning of her relationship with ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, I totally agree that TTPD could look grounded, airbrushed, and dreamy from the outside, but the lyrics will be SAD.

There's also been some discussion that TS11 could be another pop album that's even more nuanced than Midnights. Well, during her Eras Tour show in Sydney, Australia, she played another round of suspicious surprise songs. While sitting at the piano, Taylor Swift takes her earpiece out and calls attention to the keyboard. "Do you hear that?" she says (via TikTok). "My damn keyboard's playing a synth sound." She then does what she almost always does when dropping an Easter egg: she smirks.

"That sound is how the album starts, mark my words," one comment reads. Another says, "That smirk tells me everything I need to know."

How do I presave The Tortured Poets Department?

Image via Taylor Swift's official store/UMG

Before The Tortured Poets Department's release on at midnight on April 19 (we're less than a month away!), go ahead and pre-save it. It'll make streaming the album a little bit easier because when you pre-save, the album will pop up for you as soon as it drops! Go to Taylor Swift's official website and click on the "Pre-add/Pre-save" button. It'll take you to a new page where you can save it on Spotify or Apple Music (depending on which service you use), and you can also pre-order at stores like Target!

How many songs will be on The Tortured Poets Department?

Image via Taylor Swift/Instagram

Taylor Swift dropped The Tortured Poets Department song list February 5, and we already have theories about what each track could reference. IMO, "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart" is totally referencing Taylor Swift's performances of "Lover" following her split from Joe Alwyn (you can see her crying during the set), while there's a good chance "Florida!!!" is referencing her first Tampa concert, which was the first show she performed after the breakup became public knowledge. Taylor Swift's dad Scott Swift recently told fans he's most excited for Swifties to hear the title track and "Florida!!!" Here's the full tracklist for TS11:

  1. Fortnight (feat. Post Malone)
  2. The Tortured Poets Department
  3. My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys
  4. Down Bad
  5. So Long, London
  6. But Daddy I Love Him
  7. Fresh Out the Slammer
  8. Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine)
  9. Guilty as Sin?
  10. Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?
  11. I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)
  12. loml
  13. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart
  14. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived
  15. The Alchemy
  16. Clara Bow
  17. Bonus Track: The Manuscript
  18. Bonus Track: The Bolter
  19. Bonus Track: The Albatross
  20. Bonus Track: The Black Dog

Will The Tortured Poets Department be explicit?

Image via Taylor Swift/Instagram

There are 7 explicit songs on The Tortured Poets Department: "The Tortured Poets Department," "Down Bad," "But Daddy I Love Him," "Florida!!! (feat. Florence + The Machine)," "loml," "I Can Do It With A Broken Heart," and "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived."

What is The Albatross about?

Image via Taylor Swift/Instagram

During one of her Eras Tour shows in Sydney, Australia, Taylor Swift announced a new version of The Tortured Poets Department featuring exclusive bonus track "The Albatross." This new album already has some crazy track titles — all with pretty noteworthy meanings.

According to Collins Dictionary, if you call someone an Albatross, "they cause you great problems from which you cannot escape, or they prevent you from doing what you want to do," while a Bolter could refer to someone bolting out of a relationship (or bolting from a restaurant to a car like in this viral clip 🤨).

Meanwhile "The Alchemy" refers to the continual process of trying to turn something into gold — remember how Taylor Swift spent 6 years saying her relationship with Joe Alwyn was golden? Buckle up Swifties, TS11 is going to be a wild ride.

What does loml mean?

Image via Taylor Swift/Instagram

At first glance, the twelfth song on The Tortured Poets Department, "loml," means "love of my life." Some fans were wondering if the song was a nod to Harry Styles since his Harry's House finale track is "Love of My Life" (the album also features a track named "Daylight" which is another funny connection to Taylor Swift). But Bonnie & Emily from ChatsAndReacts have got me thinking about the track in a whole new way.

Emily says that while Taylor might sing about the love of her life at the beginning of the song, she also has the potential to switch it up each verse. "Lie of my life" and "loss of my life" are HEART WRENCHING, and totally something Taylor would write.

How can I buy The Tortured Poets Department?

Image via Taylor Swift store

You can pre-order a bunch of different versions of The Tortured Poets Department on Taylor Swift's website right now, includingThe Tortured Poets Department CD + Bonus Track "The Manuscript", The Tortured Poets Department CD + Bonus Track "The Manuscript" andThe Tortured Poets Department Cassette + Bonus Track "The Manuscript".

What is a tortured poets department?

Image via Taylor Swift/Instagram

Taylor Swift has spent years talking about her anxiety, her sleepless nights, and her emotions. "My muses, acquired like bruises / My talismans and charms / The tick, tick, tick of love bombs / My veins of pitch black ink," she writes in her official Instagram post. "All's fair in love and poetry." My guess is that The Tortured Poets Department features a bunch of artists who all feel very deeply and have a similar ethereal, larger-than-life approach to their music.

As far as the name, it looks like The Tortured Poets Department could be referencing her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn's group chat name — "The Tortured Man Club" with Paul Mescal (who starred in Normal People while Joe starred Conversations With Friends. Both series are based on Sally Rooney books).

Will The Tortured Poets Department have any featured artists?

Image via Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Yes, The Tortured Poets Department will feature Florence + The Machine on the song "Florida!!!" and Post Malone on the song "Fortnight." And after Taylor Swift teased a variety of collaborations by posting handwritten lyrics from artists like Harry Styles and Lorde, Swifties are wondering if The Tortured Poets Department will be the "collab album" we never got.

Another clue that leads me to believe this is true is the fact that the title of this album is so much longer than her other titles — and she refers to herself as "Chairman" of the department. Who are all the constituents?! Are they all the same artists who left Scooter Braun's management last year? Only time will tell, because as far as I'm concerned, surprises aren't out of the question until the TS11 era is over!👀

What is the theory of Taylor Swift's double album?

Image via Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Throughout her stay in Sydney, Australia for the Eras Tour, Taylor Swift has been dropping lots — and I mean lots — of twos. @v_swiftie_ points out that in addition to holding up the number two while announcing The Tortured Poets Department, she's been playing more surprise song mashups than normal, and Taylor Nation has been posting Instagram stories featuring the number 2 instead of the number 13. Suspicious, Tay, very suspicious.

Are you excited for The Tortured Poets Department? What kinds of collabs or songs are you hoping for? Let us know in the comments and check out these Taylor Swift Disney Movie Posters Inspired By Her Songs for more fun content!

Lead image via Taylor Swift/Instagram

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Sabrina Carpenter’s Boyfriend Supported Her Coachella Set In The Sweetest Way

Before they were publicly seen together, we were dying to know if singer Sabrina Carpenter was actually dating actor Barry Keoghan. Rumors about their relationship cropped up in late 2023, and they're definitely not rumors anymore!

The pair made their *official* debut on the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars party red carpet and looked so cute together. Most recently, Barry enthusiastically supported Sabrina's Coachella performance. Since the two have been romantically linked for a while now, we’re taking a deeper look at their history and their chemistry.

Here’s everything you need to know about Sabrina Carpenter and her boyfriend, Barry Keoghan!

Who is Sabrina Carpenter?

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Sabrina Carpenter is a 24-year-old actress and singer. Her most popular acting roles began on Disney Channel from 2014 to 2017 with Girl Meets World and 2016’s Adventures in Babysitting.

Sabrina has been releasing original music since 2014, and her 2022 album titled Emails I Can’t Send landed her her first-ever top-40 chart entry. Her songs “Nonsense” and “Feather” are two of her top-listened tracks on Spotify.

Sabrina also opened for Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour in 2023.

Additionally, she's worked as a brand ambassador for Converse, Aeropostale, and Samsung, and launched a fragrance line in collaboration with Scent Beauty.

Sabrina was suspected to be dating singer Shawn Mendes last year, but he dispelled rumors about it very publicly in March 2023.

Who is Barry Keoghan?

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Barry Keoghan is an award-winning 31-year-old Irish actor. He’s well-known for his roles in Dunkirk, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Eternals, and Saltburn. He has also been in several TV series, from HBO’s Chernobyl to Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air.

Barry was previously dating girlfriend Alyson Kieran since September 2021, but the pairbroke up in July 2023 after Barry started seeing success for his performance in the film The Banshees of Inisherin. An inside source close to the couple said “they’ve grown apart over recent months and things have finally come to a head. As far as [Alyson is] concerned, it’s over.”

Barry and Alyson still share a young son named Brando, born in August 2022.

Is Barry Keoghan Sabrina Carpenter's Boyfriend? A Relationship Timeline

Catherine Powell / Getty Images for MTV

September 2023

In late September 2023, Sabrina attended an NYC advanced screening of Saltburn, a dark comedy film in which Barry stars. The pair was not seen together, but they were definitely in the same place at the same time.

The pair reportedly met for the first time during Paris Fashion Week at the Givenchy spring/summer 2024 show, just a week after the advanced screening.

Amy Sussman / Getty Images

December 2023

Sabrina and Barry were spotted on a casual dinner date in Los Angeles in December 2023. They weren’t quite visibly affectionate or close together in photos, but shared the same car.

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

January 2024

Sabrina and Barry were suspected to attend the 2024 Golden Globes together to debut their relationship, but the pair ended up attending separately.

The two were later spotted out and about at LA’s Luna Luna interactive art installation later in January.Eyewitness accounts said "it definitely seemed like a date.” 👀

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February 2024

In early February 2024, the duo was seen gettin’ cozy with each other at a Grammys after party. Someone had snapped a pic of them sitting next to each other, but it appeared they were pretty shy about showing their whole faces. Cute!

The couple confirmed their romance just around Valentine's Day with a fun-filled weekend in Los Angeles (with plenty of PDA, of course). They started out with dinner at Nobu before checking into Hotel Bel-Air. They next day, they spent time together at Sabrina's house in Hollywood and then went out on the town in style!

As much as we can tell, Sabrina and Barry are just having fun with it!

Amy Sussman and Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images for Vanity Fair

March 2024

The 2024 Oscars marked Sabrina and Barry's first red carpet appearance as a couple! The pair pulled up in semi-coordinating outfits – her wearing a black sequined Tory Burch gown, him wearing a sleek black suit by Amiri.

Barry also accessorized his Oscars look with a beaded friendship bracelet (a la Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce) that spelled out Sabrina's name!

Photographed side-by-side several times, the couple also took the chance to reference their silly Grammys photo by hiding their faces for the camera. Love!

IG @sabrinacarpenter

April 2024

On April 1, Barry left a fiery comment on Sabrina's Instagram. She posted a carousel promoting the new spring 2024 intimates collection from Skims, packed with steamy pics of her wearing pieces from the drop.

Barry's comment was "🔥🥵 barbie emoji," which is just too cute. Since Sabrina is known over social media as a Bratz doll, we love to see this brand new Barbie side!

Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Coachella

April 2024

Barry – being the supportive boyfriend he is – was spotted in the crowd at Sabrina's Coachella weekend 1 set, and the couple shared a few cute moments even when they were apart!

Barry was seen happily snapping pictures on his phone like a proud parent during the high-energy performance. Sabrina also cutely waved to Barry from the stage, and he was definitely fangirling over it! We would be fangirling too, TBH! 🔥

After Sabrina's set, the pair was spotted together in the crowd at Ice Spice's performance alongside friends Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. The four appeared to just be hanging out and chatting among themselves in between songs!

Stay updated on the latest celebrity relationships with Brit + Co!

Lead photos by Amy Sussman / Getty Images.

This post has been updated.

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