Between college and finishing the year, seniors face the looming decision of planning the rest of their life. For most, they don’t know what path to choose or what career they “need” to commit to. Yet, college isn’t the only way to find who you want to be. Finding happiness in a seemingly unconventional way is something that Lincoln alumni Holly Rolfs was able to do.

What has high school done to support you in your education, what have they not done?

“High school taught me basic skills like getting better at writing and learning basic math. It improved my social skills by being constantly surrounded by thousands of peers so I learned a lot about how to work with different people. I wasn’t taught how to trust my own decision making skills due to being given instructions and following assignments and deadlines, which even instilled a fear of making decisions because what I considered to be good work was often met with harsh criticism. Although high school claims it prepares you for the real world, in my personal experience it further disconnected me from my passions, motivation, and playfulness by implementing a destructive grading and competitive environment. I did feel incredibly privileged to go to Lincoln because of the special classes and teachers we got access to. In my personal experience, in those special classes like environmental justice, IB geography, and critical race, Lincoln students are given a unique opportunity to have teachers encourage taking your own initiative and fostering a sense of community instead of competition.”

What made you think that going to college wasn’t something that you wanted?

“I felt so burnt out from feeling like I was never doing as much as my peers and not feeling like what I was learning was going to help me in the long run. Personally, I also felt quite manipulated into spending a HUGE amount of money just because that’s what everyone else was doing, which had always rubbed me the wrong way. Through having finished high school, it made me realize that although I had lots of arbitrary knowledge, I left highschool with few real skills and little real life experience. I decided I would prefer to physically try out career paths I am considering instead of reading about them and discovering four years later that I don’t enjoy the reality of the day to day of my career path. I knew that life doesn’t have to be stressful and that taking the time to unlearn this constant “go go go” “I could be doing more” mindset would be most beneficial to my future career and mental health, as well as give me the time to obtain real work experience rather than theory and another school environment.”

Do you think there is a forced ideal around high schoolers going to college right after graduating?

“Definitely. I still find that the hardest part about not going to college after highschool is telling other people, especially adults. When I tell people my age they are usually super supportive and almost envious of getting a break from a school system that’s really tough on us. With adults, I am almost always met with concern, pity, and a general feeling that it reflects badly on me. Because it’s seen as not ideal by so many people, it can be hard at times to have faith in yourself that you’re making a decision that’s in integrity for your unique life circumstances. Which can be really discouraging. But now that I’ve been experiencing this reaction for a while , I also notice how it can be extremely empowering to be faced with others’ judgements of your life and still trust yourself enough to pursue what feels best for you! So although the cultural ideal of going to college right away is difficult to be met with when that’s not your path, it also provides a really great opportunity to learn to follow your dreams and take criticism without internalizing everyones opinions and having it affect you negatively!”

Why do so many adults seem to think going to college right away is essential?

 “I think the pressure from our parents’ generation has not caught up with the reality of our current world situation!  It’s traditionally been a really great opportunity that used to have great value when it came to securing a job. But now in recent years, there’s such an oversaturation of students in colleges that it’s lost its value and yet the prices [of college] have still gone up. So having a general college degree is the new status quo and does not reap the same benefits as our parents’ generation. Adults also tend to think they know best, but the world is extremely different now than it was when they were going into college, so i think it’s really scary [to them] to not follow their wishes and make your own decision based on what you’re seeing happen in the world around you. It can come off as a sign of disrespect and rebellion, but for the vast majority of kids the reason for not wanting to go is not malicious at all!!!!!

What are you doing this year and how is it different from “normal” school? How is it the same?

“I am volunteering on farms around Ireland and Spain through a program called WWOOF. I get to stay for weeks or months at a time at a farm of my choice to be taught what they specialize in. It’s completely free as your work and interest in restoring a healthy ecosystem is exchanged for free accommodation and food. It’s different than normal school because I am learning hands-on from people who have done this work for many years. It also gives me the flexibility to try something new after a few months or weeks, or continue to hone in on one subject as I wish! It also is a low stress environment which relies on collaborating and relying on others for support and knowledge rather than competing with the people you spend your days with. It’s the same in the sense that it’s hard work! You learn discipline, compromise, and how to problem solve. It’s definitely not all sunshine and rainbows, but because it’s something I’m passionate about and it’s a healthy environment, I find myself feeling proud and accomplished as I’m working past my struggles instead of burnt out and feeling worthless.”

What do you think can be done to change the stigma around not going to college immediately after high school?

Share the humanity of those people in trade jobs as equal to those with “intellectual” or administrative jobs. The stigma is that if you aren’t making TONS of money in a high status job, you’re not reaching your potential. The truth that we need to be bringing awareness to is that the quality and value of your life is determined by how you feel on a day to day basis. What makes each individual content and satisfied with their days looks different for everyone! For example, for me personally, I love to do hard physical work taking care of a garden and or caring for animals. Nothing makes me happier! But to some other people that might sound like the worst job ever. So what I’m trying to say is that we need to celebrate everyone’s individuality more by not projecting judgement onto someone else’s career just because we personally wouldn’t enjoy doing it. Everyone has a niche thing that they find amazing and interesting that other people just might not get!” 

Has your life changed since doing a nontraditional education?

“One hundred percent yes. I speak more kindly to myself and I’ve gotten more comfortable taking a path less traveled, which feels like it’s opening up so many more opportunities for me. It’s given me a sense of independence that’s different than I’d get at a college. Mostly, it’s a sense of self trust and less judgement on myself and others that’s absolutely worth the difficulty of making the tough  decision to take an untraditional route.”

Do you ever plan on going to college?

“Definitely! When or if I find a skill that I feel I need to do what I want in life I would love to take an online class at a community college. I don’t feel the need to have the traditional college experience, personally, because I don’t find that the closed college dorm experience would aid me in what I hope to accomplish in the future. But if I’m being honest I just think it’s ridiculous that college costs tens of thousands of dollars! When you compare it to any other country in the world, it’s clear that it’s a complete scam that’s fueled by peer pressure and outdated traditions.”

If you could say something to students who are struggling to decide whether or not to go to college what would you say?

“I would say that if you’re having any doubts or if anything isn’t adding up, be really honest with yourself to really consider how life could FEEL and look if you pursued something that made more sense for you. The world is filled with so many things and people to experience and it doesn’t have to be scary to go discover whatever sparks your interest. The most difficult part is to take that initial step to decide for yourself that maybe you won’t take the traditional route, but once you do and you commit to a different path, the rewards are exponentially better than putting your money and energy into something that you are questioning or have doubts about! There are so many job opportunities for people with hands on, trade skills, and it even gives you an opportunity to start your own business with your own products that you love making and working on everyday!”