A Cap and Gown Session at Umass Amherst / Protocol Amherst

Imagine you're in your junior year of high school, and you decide to challenge yourself by dual enrolling in a few community college classes.

As spring arrives, you discover that you can graduate high school a year early and suddenly, you've got a whole year to spread your wings and grow as a human.

That was what Alyssa woke up to one day this spring, and after a little scrambling to pivot at the last minute, everything fell into place for her to graduate a year earlier than her classmates.

While photographing the Northfield Mount Hermon Commencement Ceremony a few weeks ago, I was prompted to ask high school seniors, "What’s next?" instead of focusing on specific details about college and career plans.

“What’s next?” can be a question that resonates throughout your entire life.

So, what’s next for Alyssa?

Perhaps some traveling, maybe some downtime, definitely some future planning, and certainly keeping her senses open for nudges that could catapult her toward her true calling.

It's incredibly inspiring to witness this next generation of women setting their own goals, moving at their own pace, and breaking free from the systems we've all drifted through without a second thought.

There is no single path to the future, and Alyssa is living proof of that.