As graduation nears, many seniors think about what their life will be like after high school. For some students, their vision is already clear on what they want to do. For others, the future might not be as clear. Either way, this last stretch of the year forces seniors to start thinking about the direction they want their lives to go.

For senior Melanie Williams, the next step after graduation is college. She explained that she wants to continue her education when she leaves high school.

“I want to attend college,” Williams said. “I’ve been thinking about it because I want to start building something for my future.”

Williams said one of her main reasons to attend college is because she wants financial stability in her life. She sees education as a way to open more doors for herself. She said she wants to attend UCLA because of its programs and campus environment.

“I want to make money and have a career that can support the life I want,” Williams said. “I’ve been really interested in psychology, so I’ve been looking into UCLA for their courses.”

Williams explained further why she wants to attend UCLA.

“I’ve loved UCLA since I was a little girl, and I always like learning about them and what they have to offer. They have a lot of opportunities, and it seems like a place where I can experience new things and meet new people.” Williams said.

Even though college will come with challenges, Williams said she is also looking forward to the social experience.

“I’m also excited for the social side of college, too,” she said. “Things like parties and dorms are just ways to get to know more people and build friendships. I just want to experience living life on campus.”

Another senior, Nuri Campos, said she also plans to attend college after high school. Although she knows that she wants to continue her education, she’s still a little uncertain about what she wants her future to be.

Campos said that life after high school can be uncertain, but she still believes that college is the right path for her.

According to Campos, she wants to go to UC Berkeley to study law.

“I want to study law, but I’m also interested in other things as well, such as design. I guess you can say I’m a little uncertain, but that’s a part of life, so it’s okay. Even if I don’t have everything figured out right now, I still want to keep moving forward,” Campos said.

Just like her friend Williams, Campos also said that one of her biggest motivations is to build a strong future and reach her goals. She says that success will come from working hard and pushing yourself.

“One goal I have for myself after graduation is to work hard and complete all my goals,” Campos said. “It’s going to take some effort, but I want to make something out of myself.”

Both William and Campos provided insight and advice to students about managing their senior year of high school.

“It’s okay to not have everything figured out,” Williams said.

Campos also shared her advice for the future.

“As long as you take school seriously, don’t forget to enjoy it at the same time,” Campos said. “Try new things. Don’t just stick to one thing because what if that doesn’t work out. Also, build good habits early. It makes high school much easier.”

Both students shared their feelings about how they want their future to go, but these are responses that seniors are experiencing right now. Graduation brings excitement and happiness, but also pressure, uncertainty, and sometimes disappointment. Some students are ready to head over to their next chapter, while others are still trying to figure out what they want their future to look like.

For Williams and Campos, college represents their next steps in their journey. They don’t want to just finish high school. They want to move on to something bigger. Both of them are deciding to step into a new chapter of their life with real goals and real expectations.