Her years out of the spotlight included a significant redirection. In 2014, Bynes enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), inspired by seeing Lauren Conrad attend the school on “The Hills.” She graduated in 2019.
As one of her advisors told Paper magazine, “Instructors love her. Love her. She’s smart, she participates in class; she’s an amazing student.” Bynes has said she remains guarded due to the public scrutiny she faced. “I know my behavior was strange so [sic] people were trying to grasp at straws,” she previously remarked.
Even among classmates, she noted, she still encountered assumptions about her. Whether or not she resumes a public career, Bynes seems committed to showing up on her own terms.
