We all remember the pageant curls and the "go-go juice." It feels like a lifetime ago that Alana Thompson, better known to the world as Honey Boo Boo, exploded onto our screens via Toddlers & Tiaras. She was seven. She was loud. She was a meme before we really even used the word meme like we do today.
But a lot has changed since those TLC cameras first rolled into McIntyre, Georgia.
Honestly, if you haven’t kept up with the family drama over the last few years, you’ve missed a total rollercoaster. It’s not just about pageant stages and "sketti" anymore. Alana’s life has been defined by a very public, very messy transition from a child reality star to a college student trying to outrun her family’s reputation. People keep asking what happened to Honey Boo Boo, and the answer is a complicated mix of academic success and some pretty heartbreaking family estrangement.
She isn't that little girl anymore. She's a grown woman with a mortgage-sized set of responsibilities.
The Breaking Point with Mama June
You can't talk about what happened to Alana without talking about June Shannon. For years, the two were inseparable. Then, things got dark. In 2019, June was arrested on possession charges related to crack cocaine. That was the pivot point. The fun-loving, chaotic energy of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was replaced by the grim reality of addiction.
Alana ended up moving in with her older sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird. It wasn't just a temporary sleepover; it was a rescue mission.
Imagine being a teenager and having to watch your mother spiral on national television. It sucked. Alana has been incredibly vocal about the trauma of that period, specifically the feeling of being abandoned for her mother's then-boyfriend, Geno Doak. While the show Mama June: From Not to Hot (and its various rebrands) continued to film, the vibe shifted from comedy to a cautionary tale about the price of reality fame.
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In 2022, a judge finally granted Pumpkin sole custody of Alana. This was a massive deal. It legally acknowledged that Alana's home life with June was no longer viable. Even though June eventually got sober and tried to facilitate a "redemption arc" for the cameras, the relationship remains incredibly strained. Trust isn't something you just flip back on like a light switch, especially when there's money involved.
College Life in Colorado
The most surprising thing to people who haven't followed her lately? Alana is a college student.
She graduated from Wilkinson County High School in May 2023. She didn't just barely scrape by, either; she actually moved across the country to attend Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She’s studying nursing.
It’s a huge leap from rural Georgia.
Regis is a private Jesuit university, and it’s not exactly the place you’d expect to find a reality star known for "redneck" antics. She’s been living a relatively normal life out there, though she still films for the family’s ongoing WEtv series. She’s talked about how hard it is to balance being a "normal" student with the fact that her classmates grew up watching her drink mountain dew and lemon juice.
- The Scholarship: Alana reportedly received a $21,000 scholarship to attend Regis.
- The Major: Nursing—a choice she says was inspired by her desire to help people, a stark contrast to the self-absorbed world of reality TV.
- The Move: She left the South entirely, which many fans see as her best chance at a fresh start.
The Missing Money Mystery
Recently, the drama took a financial turn. If you’ve been watching the latest episodes of Mama June: Family Crisis, you’ve seen the "Coogan Account" controversy. In the U.S., child actors are supposed to have a portion of their earnings set aside in a protected account.
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Alana turned 18 and expected a windfall. She wanted to use that money to pay for her nursing degree.
The shocker? The account didn't have nearly as much as she expected. Alana and Pumpkin have publicly accused June of spending Alana’s earnings from her childhood stardom. We are talking about years of filming, endorsements, and appearances. While June claims the money went toward "living expenses" and "supporting the family," the backlash has been fierce. It’s a classic Hollywood tragedy—the child star grows up only to find the bank account drained by the parent.
Personal Life and Dralin Carswell
Alana’s personal life has also been a major talking point. She’s been in a long-term relationship with Dralin Carswell.
There was a lot of internet chatter about their age gap—he’s several years older than her—and some legal trouble Dralin got into regarding a police chase in Georgia. Despite the critics and the "concerned" comments on her Instagram, Alana has stuck by him. He moved to Colorado with her. To her, he represents a piece of home and a support system that she feels she didn't always get from her biological parents.
Some fans worry she’s repeating a cycle of choosing "bad boys," but Alana has been quick to clap back. She basically tells everyone to mind their own business. She’s 19 now (as of late 2024), and she's making her own choices, for better or worse.
Why We Still Care About What Happened to Honey Boo Boo
It’s easy to dismiss her as a relic of 2012 pop culture. But there’s a reason she still pulls numbers on social media and TV. Alana represents a very specific American phenomenon. She’s the kid who was exploited for entertainment but somehow kept her head on straight enough to get into college.
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People want to see her win.
They want to see her become a nurse and leave the "Honey Boo Boo" persona in the trash. There is a profound sadness to her story, but also a weirdly inspiring resilience. She’s survived a mother’s addiction, a father (Mike "Sugar Bear" Thompson) who was largely absent or problematic, and the weight of being a national punchline.
Actionable Takeaways from Alana’s Journey
If you're looking for the "lesson" in what happened to Honey Boo Boo, it’s mostly about boundaries and breaking cycles.
- Financial Literacy is Critical: If you have children earning money (even on social media), understand Coogan Laws. These laws vary by state, and as Alana found out, they aren't always a perfect safety net.
- The Importance of Chosen Family: Alana’s survival is largely credited to her sister Pumpkin. Sometimes, the people who raised you aren't the people who can save you.
- Redefining Identity: You aren't stuck being who you were at seven years old. Moving 1,500 miles away for school is a valid way to rewrite your narrative.
- Media Literacy: Watching her story reminds us that "reality" TV is often a curated version of someone's worst moments. Supporting the human behind the character matters.
Alana is currently focusing on her clinicals and trying to navigate her sophomore year of college. She still pops up on TikTok, she still does the reality show, but the goal seems to have shifted. She’s no longer looking for a pageant crown; she’s looking for a degree and a life that doesn't require a camera crew.
The girl who once shouted "A dolla makes me holla" is now just trying to make sure her tuition is paid and her future is secure. It’s a much quieter, much more difficult path than the one she started on, but it’s the one that might actually lead her to a happy ending.