TLC's defunct show, Jon & Kate Plus 8, first premiered in 2007, when Jon and Kate Gossel
in's twins, Mady and Cara, were just 7. Now the siblings are officially adults, and both
attend college and live on campus. Mady said in a Kate Plus 8 special that aired in 2019,
"College feels like a place to blend in. And I feel like we haven't had much of a chance
to really, really blend in. I want to be just, like, somebody. I don't want everyone to know
my name and my business. So, I feel like a big college is the way we want
to go."
As for how Mady is handling life outside of Kate's house? Here's everything we know about
the young adult's first experience with independence.
Mady Gosselin endured many life changes in 2019, a sentiment she touched on in a New
Year's Eve post. She wrote,
"2019: you were a bittersweet, stressful, challenging, crazy year. But you were also
refreshing, wonderful, unpredictable & full of achievements I'm so proud of. It's all
about balance, I guess Happy new year!! Here's to 2020 being cooler & crazier."
It's possible these trials and tribulations inspired Mady to strengthen the relationship
she has with her mom. A source explained to In Touch Weekly,
"Kate and Mady are on a lot better terms. Going away to college has actually made them
closer. They love each other, but Mady wouldn't mind if her mom didn't comment on her social
media posts, only because she wants her own identity. She doesn't want to be associated
with the reality show and her parent's drama."
Speaking of drama, the college student still doesn't talk to her dad, Jon Gosselin. Jon
told In Touch Weekly in 2019 that, although he texts the twins on their birthday, he made
a conscious decision to give them space after they complained about him in interviews, reasoning,
"You have to have your own relationships so you can understand what happens in relationships
sometimes."
"We're not really communicating right now."
In 2021, he told Hollywood Life that he remained estranged from the twins, saying,
“I love my kids, all of them. Even though I’m kind of estranged from Mady and Cara,
I hope one day that they just call me up and just talk to me.”
Mady Gosselin may be trying to stay close with her mother while also keeping her distance
from her dad, however, there are other people in the college student's life who have helped
her form a new family: her friends.
Mady and Cara opted to go to different schools, but In Touch noted that both had chosen colleges
in New York. From the looks of Mady's Instagram post from Feb. 22, 2020, she's a student at
Syracuse University, which is where she seems to have made some close friends.
In September 2019, Mady gave her followers a glimpse at herself and another friend attending
what appears to be a music festival. In June of the same year, the former reality TV star
shared a shot of her and a buddy smiling together while wearing matching shades and stripes.
And then there's the image of Mady and a friend with the caption,
"College besties for the win!!"
While it's easy to see how happy Mady is with her family of friends, it's also impossible
to ignore how much older she's looking these days.
When the reality TV-loving world first met Mady Gosselin, she was a small child amongst
a massive family. While she always managed to stand out thanks to her outgoing personality,
she also charmed fans with the simple fact that she was so darn cute.
"We're at the zoo right now. Everyone is grouchy. I'm very excited.”
Now, as a young adult who's moved out on her own and is seemingly enjoying her college
experience, Mady is looking a lot more grown up.
Need even more proof that Mady is all grown up? For her 18th birthday in 2018, Mady took
to Instagram and shared a photo of herself and her twin sister, Cara. The image made
it clear how much the girls, who are now women, have changed since we first met them. She
even added the caption,
"I'd like to think that adulthood suits us well so far."
There's no denying that.
So what's next for Mady? Fans will just have to wait and see.
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