I Chose Boots Over a Bachelor’s Degree

Why I Skipped College to Build a Career in Real Estate, Construction, and AI at 18

By Addyson Vining  |  The Vining Group at eXp Realty  |  Fort Mill, SC

In May 2025, my twin brother Bray and I walked across the same stage, grabbed the same diplomas, and hugged the same parents. Then we made completely different decisions about what came next.

Bray packed up and headed to the College of Charleston to study construction management. I stayed in Fort Mill and went to work.

Not because I couldn’t go to college. Not because I didn’t get in anywhere. I chose not to go because I looked at what I wanted my life to look like and realized the fastest, most honest path to get there didn’t start in a lecture hall. It started on a job site, behind a laptop, and inside a business that was already in my blood.

I’m 18 years old, and I chose boots over a bachelor’s degree. Here’s why.

I Didn’t Just Grow Up Around Real Estate. I Grew Up Inside It.

My mom and dad, Kristin and Ken Vining, are Realtors in the Fort Mill and Charlotte area. They run The Vining Group at eXp Realty and my mom builds luxury custom homes with OZ Custom Homes and Carolina Custom Creations. I’ve watched her read blueprints at the kitchen table, my dad negotiate contracts on the phone while driving us to school, and walk construction sites in the same week they were staging a listing for market. 

Most kids grow up hearing their parents talk about work. I grew up in the work. I know what a construction takeoff is. I know what it costs to frame a custom home. I know the difference between a cosmetic crack and a structural concern. Not because I read it in a textbook—because I’ve seen it, walked it, and lived alongside it for years.

So, when people ask me, “Why didn’t you go to college?” my answer is pretty simple: why would I pay to learn the theory of something I’m already doing in real life?

Same Family, Two Paths — And Both Are Right

I want to be really clear about something: I’m not anti-college. My brother Bray is studying construction management at the College of Charleston, and it’s absolutely the right move for him. He’s approaching the same industry from the academic side, learning engineering principles and project management frameworks that will serve him well. I respect that path completely.

But we’re different people with different strengths. Bray is analytical and methodical. I’m creative and fast. He likes to study systems. I like to build them. He’ll graduate with a degree in construction management. By the time he walks across that stage, I’ll have four years of real-world experience, a real estate license, a portfolio of content I’ve created for actual clients, and a deep understanding of AI tools that are reshaping every industry I touch.

In a few years, we might end up working side by side. That’s the dream, actually. A brother-sister team with both the degree and the dirt under our nails. But for now, we’re each running our own race.

What I’m Actually Doing Instead of College

When people hear “she didn’t go to college,” I think they picture someone sitting on the couch figuring it out. Let me tell you what my days actually look like.

Working at The Vining Group

I work at my family’s real estate brokerage, learning the business from the inside out. Not as a spectator—as a contributor. I’m building systems, creating content, and learning what it takes to serve clients in one of Charlotte’s fastest-growing markets. I’m also pursuing my real estate license, which means by the time most freshmen are picking a major, I’ll be licensed to sell homes in the Carolinas.

Creating content that actually matters

I handle social media content creation for The Vining Group. I design in Canva, create mood boards for new construction homes, and develop visual content that helps buyers imagine what their future home could look like. This isn’t “posting on Instagram.” It’s brand building, visual storytelling, and marketing strategy—skills that companies pay agencies thousands of dollars a month for. I’m learning them on the job, with real stakes and real results.

Learning AI before most people understand it

This is the part that excites me the most. AI is changing everything—real estate, construction, marketing, content creation, business operations. While my peers are taking intro courses, I’m learning how to use AI tools to automate workflows, generate marketing content, optimize business processes, and stay ahead of an industry that’s being disrupted in real time. I’m not reading about AI in a textbook. I’m using it every day to build a business.

I genuinely believe that AI literacy is going to be the most valuable skill of the next decade. And I’d rather learn it by doing than by studying it in a classroom that’s already two years behind the technology.

Designing homes and curating spaces

One of my favorite parts of this work is the design side. I create mood boards and design concepts for new construction custom homes—pulling together materials, finishes, color palettes, and architectural details that help clients visualize their build before a single nail is driven. I love fashion and beauty, and I bring that same eye for aesthetics to home design. Yes, I show up to job sites looking put together. You can care about construction and style. Those aren’t mutually exclusive.

I Was Already a Business Owner Before I Graduated

While I was still in high school, I launched kristinADDYSON—an online jewelry business that I built from scratch. I designed the products, managed the brand, handled social media marketing, fulfilled orders, and learned what it means to put your name on something and stand behind it. Running a small business at 17 taught me more about marketing, customer service, and hustle than any elective course ever could.

I was also a competitive varsity cheerleader—which people might laugh at, but honestly, the discipline, teamwork, and pressure of competing at a high level prepared me for the pace of real business. When you’re used to performing under pressure, the professional world doesn’t feel as intimidating as everyone warned me it would.

Taking the Road Less Traveled — And Owning It

I’m not going to pretend this decision was easy. When all your friends are posting dorm room photos and football game selfies, there’s a moment where you wonder if you made a mistake. I’d be lying if I said that feeling never crossed my mind.

But then Monday morning comes, and I’m at a construction site in Wisteria Meadows watching a custom home come to life. Or I’m designing a social media campaign that generates real leads for real families looking to buy or build. Or I’m learning a new AI tool that’s going to save our team hours of work every week. And I think: this is my classroom.

The road less traveled isn’t for everyone. But for me, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m building real skills, earning real experience, and creating a career on my own terms. I’m not waiting for permission to start my life. I already started.

What’s Next

Over the next year, I plan to earn my real estate license, continue growing as a content creator and designer for The Vining Group, and go deeper into AI and how it’s transforming the way people buy, sell, and build homes. I’m also planning to share more of this journey publicly—the wins, the lessons, the behind-the-scenes of what it actually looks like to be 18 and choosing a different path.

If you’re a young person reading this and wondering if college is the only option—it’s not. It’s a great option for a lot of people, and it’s the right option for my brother. But it’s not the only option. If you have a clear vision, a willingness to work harder than everyone around you, and access to people who are already doing what you want to do—you might be closer to your dream career than you think.

You don’t need a degree to have a direction. You just need to start.

Addyson Vining
Content Creator | Home Designer | Future Realtor®
The Vining Group at eXp Realty | Fort Mill, SC
www.teamvininggroup.com  |  @Addyvining