Each graduating senior has a new and exciting path lying ahead of them, but a few seniors have made plans that are even more unique and unfamiliar. Two of these seniors are Sophia Hayre, who will be attending the Parsons School of Design in New York City, and Sophia Kennedy, who is headed to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Hayre will be majoring in strategic design and management, which she explained is basically fashion marketing and digital design. When asked what a “dream job” might look like for her, she said, “I want to do marketing for brands’ social media accounts. My dream company to work for would be Vogue.”

Kennedy, on the other hand, has not decided exactly what she will study at SCAD, which offers over 100 different degree programs centered around art and design. “I just know that I love creating things and I want to find a lifestyle that allows me to stay creative and enjoy what I’m doing,” Kennedy said.  “I like a ton of different types of art, so I think I’m just going to see what I’m drawn to when I get there and go from there.”

Over the past few years, it became abundantly clear to Hayre that she wanted to work in the fashion industry—and this year, it also became clear that Parsons would be the perfect segue into that industry for her.

During her sophomore year, Hayre participated in an online program Parsons offered, and then this past summer she flew out to the city to participate in the school’s summer program. “We would have four-hour classes every day but I never felt like I was actually in class for those four hours. I would have so much fun learning about stuff that I was interested in that it didn’t even feel like school to me,” Hayre said.

Like Hayre, Kennedy’s visit to her own school was a very positive and exciting experience. She said, “When I visited [SCAD], every building was super unique and fun, and it barely felt like school.”

While Kennedy and Hayre are both very excited for the adventures that await them, both seniors noted some of the challenges that came with making their college decisions. Hayre explained that it can be hard to look past whether something is “practical” or not, and Kennedy admitted to not entirely knowing if she is making the “right” decision, but being content with her decision nonetheless.

“I decided that college is the time for experimenting and trying new things, so I might as well try something really new and for the first time in my life take classes focused on art, something that makes me really happy,” Kennedy said.

Both Hayre and Kennedy have so much to excited for for their next four years. As Hayre said, “It’s not going to be the traditional college experience, but I like that about it!”