Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson Reveals She's Set For College To Become A Neonatal Nurse

Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson, the beloved reality TV star who rose to fame as a child in the early 2010s, is taking a significant step in her academic journey.

Thompson announced that she had been accepted to pursue higher education at Regis University in Denver, where she will be embarking on a journey to become a neonatal nurse.

She noted that despite her numerous achievements, people still see her as a kid, which she "doesn't understand." 

Keep on reading to learn more.

Alana Thompson, known affectionately by her nickname "Honey Boo Boo," captured the hearts of millions across the nation with her charismatic presence when she was a child on "Toddlers And Tiaras" in the early 2010s. Since then, she has grown into a mature young woman with a desire to make a difference in the lives of others, particularly newborns in need of specialized care.

In a previous interview with People magazine, Thompson noted that she's "ready" to begin a new chapter as a college student.

She said, "I am ready. I think that it is definitely going to be a different journey, but I think I'm ready for it. I don't know if the cameras will be following me just yet." The reality tv star added, "Y'all are just going to really have to wait and see what happens."

Thompson has now revealed the name of the college in a chat with Entertainment Tonight. She told the news outlet, "Next, I am going to be a neonatal nurse at Regis University in Denver, Colorado." Thompson's sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird, chimed in, saying, "It's top three nursing programs in the world."

Thompson addressed the public's perception of her as a child in spite of her age and evolving aspirations. The reality TV star noted that despite graduating high school and even going into a relationship with Dralin Carswell, fans are still too shocked to realize she is "basically grown up."

"I get a lot of comments like that," she told People. "And I feel like since I've been on TV for such a long time, since I was younger, a lot of people still picture me as a little kid."

Thompson went on, "A lot of people still think like, 'Oh, you're not supposed to be this' and 'You got a boyfriend? Oh no, you're not supposed to have a boyfriend.'"

"And it's like, I'm almost going to be 18. I've already graduated high school. I'm basically already grown. So I just don't understand it!" Thompson added.

Thompson also made an unexpected revelation, expressing her willingness to welcome reality TV cameras into her college life despite her previous desire for privacy.

"Yeah, I have been on TV my whole life and I kind of just basically accepted that whether I want to go be a nurse or I want to go be an accountant, whatever I want to go be, that I will always be in the spotlight," Thompson said to ET.

She added, "It doesn't matter what I do I will always probably be known as, 'Oh my god, Honey Boo Boo's working on my baby when he was in the NICU.'"

According to the news outlet, she also noted that she isn't interested in joining any sororities on campus.

"I'm here to do my studies and graduate in 2029 and go on," she noted.

Amid the excitement and anticipation surrounding her acceptance into Regis University for neonatal nursing, the young star also expressed uncertainty about the future of her relationship with her boyfriend, Carswell, per People.

"I'm just not sure yet. I don't know about that just yet," Thompson said. "We would have to figure that out with obviously his family because he has some family down here."

She added, "So we just want to make sure that everything is good and in place before we just move halfway across the country."