Astrid Krueger

Hi there! My name is Astrid Krueger and I graduated from McNally High School in 2018. Instead of going straight into university last September, I chose to take a gap year and travel by myself to Australia for 8 months.

Before I started my degree in international relations, I wanted to take some time off to mature, gain some perspective and consider what really matters to me - beyond grades, scholarships and the things that defined my life in high school.

When you’re young, it can seem like your whole life is laid out in front of you. Even though we all have different experiences and perspectives, when you go through school, everyone is exposed to the same environment, and hence react differently. When you get a bit older, you are able to decide which environment to put yourself in, who to surround yourself with, and chose a path that fits your life. As an eighteen-year-old, I think the most defining choice that I’ve faced so far, like we all eventually do, is what to do after you lose that common structure of high school.

The truth is, there’s no right answer to the question “what do I do after high school?” As much as I could sit and preach about the benefits of taking a gap year, doing some travelling and taking some time off from school, I know that it’s not for everyone. Most of the time, we are unsure what’s right for us until we’ve had the chance to test the waters, make a few choices and fail once or twice - which is totally fine. The point is, don’t shy away from that defining choice. It might be scary, but it also might be the first real opportunity you have to make a choice about your life that’s totally, completely your own!

If I could give any advice to someone currently struggling with that big decision, it would be to imagine your life in three years. Where do you want to be? What do you want to have done? By taking the near future and giving it a smaller frame, it can help you decide what the right path for you is. But beyond that, remember that it’s never too late to start over - the choices you make now don’t need to define who you forever. This time is about learning, growing and making mistakes, so make the most of it!