Different Students, Different Goals
Written By: Brielle Ferns, Delaney Fulton & Ellie Prosser
Everyone has goals. Whether it’s something smaller like just making it through the day, or whether it’s something bigger, like making it through college and being stable in life. Goals and things that people wish to accomplish in their futures are extremely important in the way of the world. Not only do they keep lots of people determined, they give some a need to get out of bed in the morning, a reason for doing what they do.
Working towards something and taking the time to figure out what is needed to finish a goal, can be a hard thing to do. At the end of the day, though, those goals help shape who we are and who we become. For high school students, goals often look different depending on their experiences, interests, and future plans. One common way students think about their goals is through a “bucket list,” or a list of things they hope to accomplish in their lifetime.
To better understand what goals look like for students, we interviewed a few high schoolers about their bucket lists and future plans.
When asked, “What is on your bucket list?” students shared a wide range of dreams and ideas. Harper Johnson said, “I would like to travel to somewhere in Europe, and I also think skydiving would be really fun.” Ava Johnson added, “I want to go to probably like Hawaii one day.” Kiki Mumolo had even bigger goals, saying, “I would like to get to the top of Mount Everest, go below the surface of the water, and then maybe even go to Mars and be an astronaut. I also want to swim with sharks.”
These answers show how different each student’s goals can be—some focused on travel and adventure, while others imagine extreme challenges or even space exploration.
We also asked students about their short-term and long-term goals. Harper Johnson shared, “A short-term goal would be to get straight A’s, and a long-term goal would be to save enough money for college and have a good future.” Ava Johnson had a similar mindset, saying, “My short-term goal is to get all A’s, and my long-term goal is to go to the University of Miami for college”
These responses show that while students may dream big, many are also focused on realistic and important steps, like doing well in school and preparing for college.
Finally, when asked what they want to reach the most, most students agreed that success and happiness go hand in hand. Whether that means achieving academic success, traveling the world, or reaching personal milestones, each student has their own definition of what matters most.
In the end, bucket lists and goals are more than just ideas—they are motivation. They push students to work harder, dream bigger, and stay focused on their futures. Even though every student’s path looks different, having goals helps guide them toward the life they want to create.
