She isn't six years old anymore.
Alana Thompson, the girl the world knows as Honey Boo Boo, is a legal adult navigating a reality that most people couldn't imagine. We first saw her in a tutu, fueled by "go-go juice"—that chaotic mix of Mountain Dew and Red Bull—on Toddlers & Tiaras. It was a spectacle. People laughed, people judged, and millions watched. But the reality of Honey Boo Boo now is a much more complex story about survival, family trauma, and the pursuit of a "normal" life after being a childhood punchline.
The Massive Shift from Reality TV Star to College Student
Last year, Alana graduated from Hancock Central High School in Georgia. It was a huge moment. For a kid whose family life played out on Mama June: From Not to Hot and its various spinoffs, finishing high school felt like a victory against the odds. She didn't just graduate; she got into Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She’s studying nursing.
Imagine moving across the country to start a career in healthcare while your mother’s struggles with addiction and legal issues are documented on WeTV for the world to see. It's a lot. Honestly, it’s probably more than most people her age could handle. She’s traded the humidity of Georgia for the mountains of Colorado, trying to build a career that has absolutely nothing to do with pageants or reality TV cameras.
She's been vocal about how hard the transition was. Moving away from her sister Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird—who actually had legal custody of Alana for years—was heartbreaking. Pumpkin wasn't just a sister; she was the person who stepped up when their mom, June Shannon, was struggling with a well-documented substance abuse crisis.
Why the Public Can't Stop Talking About Her Finances
One of the biggest hurdles Alana Thompson faces today involves her money. This is where the story gets gritty. In recent episodes of their reality show, it was revealed that Alana’s Coogan account—a type of blocked trust fund for child actors intended to protect their earnings—didn't have as much money in it as she expected.
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Basically, Alana discovered that a significant portion of her earnings from years of television work was missing or had been spent by her mother.
June Shannon claimed she used the money to fund their lifestyle or that the taxes ate it up, but the tension is real. It’s a classic, tragic Hollywood trope: the child star who works for years only to find out the bank account is nearly empty when they turn eighteen. Alana has had to face the reality that her "fame" didn't necessarily equate to a lifelong "fortune." She’s had to rely on social media partnerships and continued filming just to pay her tuition and living expenses in Denver.
The Weight of Family Trauma
You've probably seen the headlines about June Shannon. The arrests. The lost custody. The public "redemption" arcs that sometimes feel more like TV scripts than actual healing.
Alana has lived through all of it.
Growing up in the public eye is hard enough, but doing it while your primary caregiver is in a downward spiral is a different kind of trauma. She’s had to learn how to set boundaries with her mother. In some of the more recent footage, you can see the exhaustion in Alana’s eyes. She wants a relationship with her mom, but she also needs to protect her own peace of mind. It’s a messy, non-linear process. There is no "happily ever after" in reality TV; there’s just the next day of trying to figure things out.
Breaking the Cycle of "Honey Boo Boo"
People still expect her to be that loud, sassy little girl. But Alana is a young woman who has dealt with body shaming since she was in elementary school. She’s been open about her struggles with weight and the pressure to look a certain way.
The internet is a cruel place.
If she loses weight, people comment. If she gains weight, they’re even worse. Despite the noise, she seems focused on her education. Becoming a neonatal nurse is her goal. That’s a job that requires intense focus and empathy—traits she’s likely developed because of, not despite, her chaotic upbringing.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Current Life
There’s this assumption that because she’s on TV, she must be "set for life." That’s just not true. Reality TV pay scales, especially for children on cable networks, aren't the same as movie star salaries.
- She pays her own bills.
- She deals with the same roommate drama as any other college student.
- She has to balance a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, Dralin Carswell.
- She still films because, quite frankly, it’s a paycheck.
The "Honey Boo Boo" persona is a brand, but Alana Thompson is a person. The distinction is vital. When we look at her life now, we aren't looking at a pageant kid; we're looking at a young adult trying to break a cycle of poverty and dysfunction that has plagued her family for generations.
Navigating Social Media as a Former Child Star
Her Instagram and TikTok are filled with the usual Gen Z content—makeup, outfits, and glimpses into her life in Colorado. But look closer at the comments. They are a battlefield of people defending her and people tearing her down.
She uses her platform for brand deals, which is how she supplements her income. It’s the modern version of the pageant circuit. Instead of a stage in a high school gym, it’s a ring light in a dorm room. It’s a job. And honestly? It’s probably one of the only ways she can stay afloat while pursuing a degree as demanding as nursing.
Moving Toward a Private Future
The most interesting thing about Alana’s current trajectory is the move toward a career that isn't dependent on fame. Nursing is a "real world" job. It suggests she’s looking for a way out of the industry eventually.
She’s mentioned in interviews that she wants people to see her as Alana, not just the "Honey Boo Boo" character. That’s a tall order when your formative years are archived on the internet forever. But by focusing on her studies and moving away from the Georgia spotlight, she’s doing the work to make that happen.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Story
If you're following Alana's journey or similar stories of child stars, it's worth considering the ethical implications of the reality TV industry.
Support creators and public figures who are transparent about the realities of child stardom. Understand that the "characters" we see on screen are often a fraction of the actual person. For those interested in the legal side, looking into the expansion of Coogan Laws to include reality TV and social media influencers is a great way to understand how young people in the spotlight are being protected (or not) in 2026.
Alana’s story isn't over. It's just finally becoming hers to write. Watch for her to continue distancing herself from the "Honey Boo Boo" moniker as she gets closer to her nursing degree, likely transitioning into a role as an advocate for young people in similar high-pressure public situations.