2013 - Millenial Influx

A Glimpse of God’s love: The Figure Skating Story

On December 29, 2013December 29, 2013 By oskarcadena

One of the most difficult things that can happen to someone is not being able to do the thing they […]

Summly: Millennial App Makes $30 Million

On December 21, 2013August 19, 2014 By bondroth

Have you heard of the app, Summly? I haven’t until today. But do not look it up… for technically, it […]

Miley vs. the World

On December 19, 2013January 14, 2014 By annakrcek

In a world plagued by the irresponsible spirit of entertainers, we are forced to ask ourselves, how truly original is […]

Debate is De Bomb

On December 19, 2013December 19, 2013 By annakrcek

Choosing to be on my college’s Debate Team was one of the best decisions for my undergraduate studies. I didn’t […]

Bitcoin: Millennial Currency?

On December 19, 2013 By bondroth

The Winkelvoss brothers, who are famous from the film The Social Network based on the creation of Facebook, have made […]

Finding God at 30,000 Feet

On December 19, 2013March 13, 2015 By sydneybrynn

I have been flying in planes since before I could walk. My dad was in the Air Force, and has […]

Mind the “Gap”: Social Media vs. Eating Disorders

On December 17, 2013 By alexandriakuo

Fifteen-year-old Becky gazes at her laptop screen with admiration as models like Cara Delevingne and Miranda Kerr strutted down the […]

5 Q&As: How To Talk about Race & Culture in Church

On December 14, 2013December 15, 2013 By joannekim

As a Third Culture Kid (TCK) and an ethnic minority in the States, I highly advocate for the multicultural/multiracial churches […]

‘Tis the Season for Diversity: Christmas Traditions Around the World

On December 13, 2013 By sarahkaczka

by Sarah Kaczka, William Byrd, and Anna Krcek Trends in the Pacific Northwestern United States: Christmas Tree Farms: In the […]

Nike FuelBand v. FitBit Force | Which Would You Steal?

On December 11, 2013December 12, 2013 By sydneybrynn

Written by Bond Roth and Sydney Brynn. Just Do It. A phrase that has dominated the sports world since […]

Homeschooler in the Real World

Emma Folts, a sophomore at Wheaton College, shares her experience about her transition into college and how homeschool has both helped and hindered her.
How has your homeschool experience benefitted you, especially in your transition into college?
I think the one thing that homeschooling did that was really helpful as I entered college was that it taught me time management. As a homeschooler I had the same freedom as a college student has to put things off during the day and go see a friend instead. Since I had that experience, I knew the cost of that.
Also, personal responsibility and accountability with assignments. I feel like a lot of the other students had more expectations for gentler grading and that the professor would give them retakes or extensions, but that wasn’t something that ever happened to me in school. That learning curve wasn’t added because I never had it the other way. I think another thing was that because I was homeschooled, I was familiar with the format of teaching and then studying on my own.
Did you see any issues with your transition socially?
I think that homeschooling had two ramifications for me socially. One was helpful, one was hurtful.
It was really helpful because as a homeschooler, I had spent a lot of time realizing and developing who I was as a person and learning to recognize people who were being themselves, and those were the people I sought out as friends. Friendship as a homeschooler takes a lot more investment. I knew I was choosier with my friends which made me a lot less anxious and a lot more content.
The only real negative impact of the social bit was that I was really used to getting to choose the time I got to spend with people. As a homeschooler I spent a lot of time with people, but that time was controlled by me. As a college student, I found that you can’t really control the time you spend with people and alone time is not really available. Learning to deal with that was a lot harder than anticipated.
Any last comments on homeschool and how it has affected your college experience?
I think homeschooling is really helpful, however it does take a slightly increased amount of advocacy with your peers when you’re entering into college. I think a lot of people come in with certain assumptions about homeschool, especially students. You’re going to get a lot of, ‘oh my gosh, you don’t seem like a homeschooled person!’ [You can’t] take that too personally and explain your experience so that friends can understand it’s an important piece of you, though it might not look like the homeschooling that they’ve seen.
My encouragement to anyone who is a homeschooler transitioning into college is to realize the benefit that you have having been homeschooled, and to realize that the bit of advocacy and explaining that you need to do with your peers is totally normal and that it’s not a big deal. Once they understand your experience, it’s not something I’ve experienced being looked down on for.