Breaking News: Swiftie boyfriends face proposal pressure: ‘Taylor and Travis put you on the clock’….see more

Colleen O’Connor knows it sounds strange, but she thinks of Taylor Swift as a friend.

The pop singer is 35; O’Connor, who works in public relations and lives in Long Island, New York, is just one year younger. “I’ve been a fan since day one, back in high school, and she’s been there through every phrase and journey of my life,” O’Connor said.

So when Swift announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce last week, O’Connor reacted as many thirtysomething women do when they learn that a girlfriend secured a ring. First, she screamed so loudly her boyfriend thought someone had died. Then she wondered aloud to him: “When’s it going to happen for us?”

“It would be fun to be engaged with her at the same time,” O’Connor said. “I’ve been showing my boyfriend photos of the ring and saying how unique it is. That’s not my style, but we talk about what I might like.”

O’Connor is not the only one. Swift’s Instagram announcement – a photo in which she and Kelce embrace in front of an elaborate floral arrangement – raked in more than 1m likes in less than 10 minutes; it’s now up to 36m.