Skip to content
Millenial Influx

Millenial Influx

News, commentary, opinion, and analysis from the Millennial generation

  • features
  • lifestyle
  • trends
  • religion & faith
  • conversations
  • features
  • lifestyle
  • trends
  • religion & faith
  • conversations

Author: Katie Park

Katie Park is a sophomore at Wheaton College studying business-economics, media communication, journalism and Spanish. Born in Seattle, Washington and raised in the surrounding suburbs, she loves mountains but surprisingly doesn't drink coffee. Outside of classes, Katie is on the Wheaton tennis team as well as the Wheaton Record staff.
  • Home
  • Katie Park

Spring Break 360

On March 6, 2016March 7, 2016 By katiepark

Visit our page to learn more about a Wheaton spring break.    Everyone loves to vacation because it means time […]

Posted in lifestyle, slider, travel, trendsTagged , Adventurecollegefamilyfriendshomespring breakTravelvacationWheaton

When Scars Don’t Heal

On February 18, 2016February 18, 2016 By katiepark

Visit: When Scars Don’t Heal The massive amount of homicides in Chicago have given the city a new nickname, Chiraq—derived […]

Posted in conversations, education, Ethics, Family, Family, identity, profile, religion & faith, slider, Social Justice, UncategorizedTagged , AmericaChicagofamilygangsgenerationsgun violenceracescars

Going Green: Does it pay?

On December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 By katiepark

This year, NASA achieved its first orbit of a spacecraft around a dwarf planet, the Chicago Cubs reached the MLB […]

Posted in conversations, education, lifestyle, slider, trends, UncategorizedTagged , climate changecollegecostenvironmentglobal warminggreensustainability

Turkey Trot Trouble

On December 1, 2015December 1, 2015 By katiepark

There we were, sloshing through mud, helping each other across streams and calling out warnings of hidden puddles. Looking at […]

Posted in conversations, entertainment, Family, Family, Health & Culture, lifestyle, profile, slider, sports, trends, UncategorizedTagged , 5kchallengeexercisefamilyGoalHealth and FitnessMemoriesraceRunthanksgivingtroubleturkey trot

Can Students Be Trusted with their Grades?

On November 19, 2015 By katiepark

There was a time when cheating in school was equated to peeking at a classmate’s test answers or copying their […]

Posted in arts+culture, conversations, education, Ethics, opinion, slider, UncategorizedTagged , cheatingclassroomcultureEducationgradesschoolteacherstrust

The Girl with Wings: Maryam Bighash

On November 10, 2015November 10, 2015 By katiepark

At the age of 13, Maryam Bighash was the youngest female to pass the pilot’s licensing exam in France. Excelling […]

Posted in conversations, education, lifestyle, slider, UncategorizedTagged , challengesexperiencefamilyFranceImmigrationiranjournalistMemoriesstudent

Let Your Roommate Change Your Life

On November 4, 2015November 4, 2015 By katiepark

Will she stand my mess?                     ||         […]

Posted in conversations, education, lifestyle, slider, UncategorizedTagged , collegeExpectationsexperienceroommate

Nutritious Bargaining: Picky about School Lunches

On October 15, 2015 By katiepark

As a Wheaton College student, I am fortunate to have access to one of the top college cafeterias in the […]

Posted in conversations, education, Health, Health & Culture, slider, trends, UncategorizedTagged , EducationfoodhealthNSLPschool lunch

Minority among Minorities: Seeking identity in heritage and home

On September 17, 2015September 22, 2015 By katiepark

“Guess what guys, I’m a minority!” My reaction to one of the first Wheaton emails I received shows how naive […]

Posted in conversations, identity, sliderTagged , asian americancollegecultureexperienceidentityminority

Follow Us!

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on RSS

Subscribe by Email


Created by Webfish.

Recent Posts

  • Is Instagram The New Heroin?
  • YouTube Is on Its Way Down
  • Why Child’s Play Should Have Skinned Knees
  • An Incessant Eavesdropper
  • Why Audio Consumption is Outpacing Video
  • Forget the Ground
  • 3 Major Benefits of HIIT High-Intensity Interval Training

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.

Copyright © All right reserved. | Theme: eMag by eVisionThemes