Hello! I am Adrian, a recent high school graduate from Albuquerque NM. I’m not too sure about college but it seems like that is what I’m expected of, but I have a passion for travelling and photography.
Don’t let family or society pressure you into college right now. Follow your dreams. Figure out what you want next. I took 12 years between college I had no desire or drive for and a degree I wanted.
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There is a movie named “Captain Fantastic”! I recommend you to watch it!
I do not agree with “leaving” education. Education is something you get from the moment of birth to the day you die, but I agree that no one can force you to a pre-defined system for it! If you wish, you can get the textbooks you want and hit the road to read them! If people go to college for studying photography, you can hit the road with the essential textbooks and a camera, and EARN photography.
Hope you will choose the best! 
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Thanks for the advice, and I’ll have to check out that movie sometime.
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Seems like everyone has a twisted idea of success, and that the only way to obtain it is by getting a degree and getting a nine to five job with good benefits. But success to me is happiness… my opinion
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Couldn’t agree more. As long as you are happy that’s all that matters. 
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I started traveling right after I turned 18. (I graduated when I was 17, and moved a state away and became a nanny for a few months) But just with the money from that, I started traveling. It wasn’t full time, and my parents always welcomed me back when I wasn’t, which was a big help. But I’m digressing.
What I want to say is that if you want to travel you should 100% go for it! I’m almost 21 and now I live life on the road full time. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. I would still love to get some schooling one day, but I’m adventuring while I still can. College gets you stuck down with debt, then it’s hard to travel after. Do it while you can. You won’t regret it.
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Nice one. I think that different people always have different times and opportunities to travel around. It is more of a commitment thing. Like you said, once you get the big it is hard to go back.
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You’ve just entered into a community filled with many people that have the same exact mindset as you.
I would say start taking photography more serious, and look into growing a social profile/personal brand for your photography. This can definitely kick off eventually and help you support your lifestyle, while doing what you love.
I think the biggest challenge with this would be competition and getting yourself noticed. Although, you can accomplish anything you set your mind too. So just work really hard!!
Let me know if you need any tips on growing your profile on Instagram. Would love to help you out 
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Live your passion and life will show you the way
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That‘s so true!! Do what makes you happy and don‘t do it to make people around you happy
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Adrian, my daughter (19) went off to college because that was expected of her (not so much by her dad and I, but by society/teachers/etc.) and she just wasn’t happy. She ended up meeting a guy from home who also shared vanlife dreams, so she did not go back to school this year. She’s taking some classes at community college and working, and she and her boyfriend (who, like you, both love travel and photography) just bought a van this week! They plan to convert it over the next 9 months and travel next summer! I am so proud of them for their vision and I always tell my daughter to chase happiness! Life is too short to do otherwise. Good luck to you!
I know you posted this a few months ago but I just joined this community.
Anyway, I totally understand what you are going through and I wish I would have done this right after high school. My wife on the other hand doesn’t feel the same way. She loves to learn and will take classes still because she wants the knowledge but she is a nurse and will always continue to hone her craft.
As for me I’m a carpenter by trade and never much liked the idea of sitting around inside taking notes while a beautiful day was being wasted. But here is a really cool thing you can take collage classes fully online at your own pace and whenever you want. That is if that’s what you want.
If you want to travel your whole life and don’t even want to think about school or maybe you want to take a class or two, it doesn’t matter. Everything you can do at home you can also do on the road. So live your life the way you want, travel and see the world, stop in small towns and enjoy the greasy spoon restaurants, go to big cities and explore, take time by a body of water, watch the lizards in the desert, find a community to travel with, but live your life the way you want!
Good luck and have fun!