Although going to college after high school seems to be a trend, there are also many students who decide to take a different path. From traveling, working, or perfecting a talent, there are so many more opportunities out there for students to find the right path for them. 

Ingrid Lid, a soon to be graduate of the class of 2023, has very different plans than going to college right after high school. Instead, Lid has planned to go  4,476 miles away to Norway. “I am moving to Norway and living there until May,” Lid said. While many may find this daunting, Lid is excited for the next adventures to come in her life.

As a frequent visitor of Norway, Lid has lots of family and close friends that live there, “I went to Norway because I have family there. My second cousin’s boyfriend was talking about how he did folkehøgskole.” Folkehøgskole is a form of folk school giving students an opportunity to learn through doing various activities. Lid explained some of the various excursions she will be doing next year. “We travel, raft, climb glaciers, hike and visit Denmark. I also get to learn Norwegian, ” she said. However there is still an academic side to it. “I get to go to all of their classes and learn international business,” Lid added.

There are lots of things to look forward to when it comes to an adventure like this such as “meeting new people from all around the world,” or “seeing different perspectives and connecting with that side of my life.” Lid also has ambitions to become fluent in Norwegian so she can communicate with her family that lives there. In the future Lid does see herself going back to school in the U.S. “I was planning on studying forensic psychology in either New York or ASU, which both have good programs…Definitely something more psychology based.” Lid said, “If you can travel please take the time to do it. I am immensely lucky to be able to do this.”

Another senior with a different path for next year is Rachel Kaplan. Her love for horses has stayed strong and she intends to work full time at a horse farm where she rides while finishing up some school credits during fall semester 2023, she said. “I will also be working on a film project that I’ve wanted to pursue for a while now. It will take a lot of work to make it happen so the gap year will allow me a lot of flexibility.” 

Kaplan has not had a standard high school experience and instead had one that consisted of lots of travel. “After switching to a new high school each year, changing states for school, and going through so much in such a short period of time, I know I need a break to spend time on things I love,” she said. Kaplan intends on staying more local but still doing the things she loves. “I am most looking forward to spending time with animals as well as teaching campers this summer. I love working with horses, and introducing others to them. I also will get a chance to ride more and continue to work on myself as a rider,” she said. Horseback riding isn’t t all she plans on doing– “ I am also looking forward to developing this film from page to camera, even though it can be daunting. It is very thrilling to see words and experiences I put onto a page turn into a full story.” After this Kaplan says she plans on going to college for psychology with a focus on adolescents. “I would like to go to Chapman or San Diego State,” she said. 

Both of these paths are very different, but no matter what, they are going to be doing something they love. Whether you are going to college, taking a gap year, or choosing to follow a different path, there are so many great things to come and so much to look forward to.