As the graduating class moves onto the next chapter in their lives, the future looks drastically different for almost every student. 

Some know exactly what they want out of the next couple of years of their life and have a clear-cut plan for the future. Others have no idea. Some might know what they want to accomplish or become, but don’t know how to get there or don’t want to plan too far ahead in the future. 

There is no right or wrong answer but every senior has at least one goal or thought of what they might want their future to look like in the next couple of years.

5 years from now some may have graduated from college and started their first job. Others may be traveling. Some may even be married or have their dream job already. The future is an open book and many now have the option to start deciding what they want their story to look like.  

In the spirit of graduation occurring in less than a week, I asked seniors what they want their life to look like 5 years from now and what they hope to have accomplished or achieved. 

“In 5 years, I want to go to graduate school in California and earn my Ph.D. in Psychology. I want to open my own office on the west coast for young adults. I’m going to travel all over the world and see and do everything I can while I’m young!” – Faith Smith

“5 years from now I hope to be working as a broadcast journalist in Washington D.C. or working as an international reporter.” – Grace Blendonohy 

“If I’m working I wanna be working somewhere that makes me happy! I’ll figure out the money later.” – Will Elliott

“In the next 5 years, I hope to have graduated from Auburn and be attending Physician’s Assistant school to be a Dermatologist and living in an apartment in maybe NYC.” – Lilly Kate Carr

“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor and hope I could work in a different part of the world than I’m used to. I have no idea where that would mean, but I would love to live in South America or Africa at some point in my life too.” – Ben Andreesen 

“5 years from now I want to be in medical school, somewhere preferably warm and working my ass off to be a doctor 4 years after that!” – Lily Bryant

“I’m just looking to do something I love, whatever that may be.” – Gage Messner

“In 5 years I hope to be finishing up school and finding a job as a teacher at a school that I love and will make me happy!” – Caroline Carter

“I hope to be starting my dream job in a city somewhere. It would be really nice to have some job security too so I don’t get fired.” – Andrew Schwan

“I’d most likely be living in a big city, maybe back home in Europe. I’m not sure what kind of work I would want to do, but hopefully, I’ll figure that out by then. What’s most important to me is to be surrounded by a genuine circle of people and constantly being able to grow and learn.” – Robin Kokke

“In 5 years, I hope to have moved back to Chicago and have my own apartment with a good job.” – Sam Mosbarger 

“My hope 5 years from now is to graduate from college and hopefully have a job. I want to be a forensic scientist so I will be on the track for that.” – Lillian Rohrbach 

“I want to graduate from college. That’s the goal and then hopefully after that, I’ll be able to go to grad school.” – Will Thomas

“I want to have an internship after graduating from college and hopefully will live in either Chicago or New York.” – Henry Pickus 

“The dream is to work for some sort of TV network like Fox or HBO and be a writer, actor, and/or production assistant on a show. Something along those lines of doing entertainment and doing it because I’m passionate about it.” – Kailey Albus 

Whatever you seniors go on to accomplish, I wish you the best of luck!