“I’m going to college for music.”
This sentence may as well be translated as “I’m planning on being poor and living in my mom’s basement for the rest of my life.” I swear that is what people hear when I respond to the unavoidable question, “What are you planning on doing after high school?” Every time I have to answer it, I feel like I have to defend my choice to follow a dream I’ve had since childhood.

As overdramatic as that sounds I feel like every time I answer the question, I am stereotyped as another soon-to-be starving artist who has a one-in-a-million chance of making it in the business.”

I am lucky enough to have a family that supports my decision to take the giant risk. And looking to the future, I am aware of all the obstacles I will have to face when I take the giant step into the great unknown that is the future. But at the end of life, no matter what I end up doing, I want to be known as Kayla – the girl who spent her life chasing happiness instead of success. Even if that means dealing with a few awkward silences after I tell those well meaning people at my graduation party that I would rather live out of my parent’s basement and write music than live my life in a typical, socially accepted box. That is the Kayla I want to be remembered as.