By Isabelle Lounsberry
We, as students, have been drilled with the same pattern of thought our entire lives: finish school, go to college, and get a job. However, in talking to some of our seniors at Apopka, we at the Blue and White have found that there are multiple paths people choose after high school, some being more extraordinary than previously thought.
The options seem limitless. Immediately after graduation you can take a leap year, go to art school, become an entrepreneur, join the military, travel, go to tech school, go directly into the workforce, start a career in the performing arts, the list goes on. That being said, let’s take a look at what some of our Apopka kids have to say.
Derrick Murrel, for example, is planning on enlisting in the U.S Marine Corps. This dream of his has been part of him since 6th grade, as he looked up to his older cousins, who were also in the military. He stated that he was never pressured to go into the military and that his family supported him in whatever choice he made after high school. However, once he decided to join the military, he did get quite a bit of input as to which branch to choose. When asked his future plans after his service, he stated that he “plans to stay in until I find another goal to pursue, I don’t know what I wanna do after the military, but I definitely wanna do something that will make me happy while making money!”
Jeffrey Laux, on the other hand, plans to move directly to Boca Raton to start his life as a college student at Florida Atlantic University. He briefly mentioned his cousin, who moved there for her nursing degree, and his visits made him realize how beautiful the area was. Jeff also noted that his goal was always college, and he has finally settled on majoring in Journalism in order to become a sports writer. He stated that while at the school, he wished to be a premier sports editor for the school’s newspaper, and hopes to be featured on any football games at the school. He does not have any family members in the field, but he has looked up to people such as Jesse Palmer and Mike Maycock since he was little. Towards the end of the interview, I asked if he was nervous. However, his closing statement makes his feelings clear. “I’m ready to move on from high school and begin the transition into a new me and life as a whole.”
Another interesting path being taken by Jorge Hernandez is construction. Jorge’s plan is to graduate and go directly into the construction business. He has a bit of a leg up, as his father is a prominent figure in the industry and owns his own business, but it is still admirable. In Florida, construction workers earn an average hourly wage of $13.70. Hourly wages typically start from $8.96 and go up to $19.21, meaning a living can be made.
As you can see, there are many ways in which one can start their life as an independent adult, all being utilized by students here at Apopka. Something I personally think is most important in making this decision is what makes you happy. Sure, income is a key influence, but it won’t matter if you’re miserable anyway. I would much rather be less financially well-off and happy than wealthy and feel ill-natured about my life. Regardless, the decision must be made, so choose wisely.