Emily Rassi – Millenial Influx

Technology: The Un-Holy Grail of Love

On December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 By emilyrassi

The ubiquitous, alluring flood of modern social media that allows us to feel we walk on water, flows without fear […]

The Football Field as a Thoughtful Thanksgiving Table

On November 30, 2015 By emilyrassi

One decade, 10 years of adventure, separates two far but united moments of time rooted in traditionalism, turkey, and the […]

Times are Changing, Terrorists are Tweeting – Freedom vs. Fight

On November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 By emilyrassi

Terrorism is tensely taunting mankind, and using Twitter to do so. Refresh a reliable news source and new information as […]

Anders Rotto: An Athletic Hero With An Avid Heart

On November 10, 2015November 10, 2015 By emilyrassi

With the charm of Abe Lincoln, the wit of Reagan, and the industriousness of Bill Simmons – Anders Rotto is […]

Turn your iPhone into your iServant, Not the Reverse

On November 2, 2015November 3, 2015 By emilyrassi

If you are an Instagram-stalking, Snapchat-storying, Twitter-tweeting, email-checking zombie-robot who reflexively embraces their cellular and technological devices – say I. […]

Courtship Begins When You Look Up (from your iPhone)

On October 15, 2015October 15, 2015 By emilyrassi

Long gone is the love laced in handwritten letters. The dating apocalypse has dawned the earth and the once softly […]

The Enigma of Identity – Trials as a Third Culture Kid

On September 17, 2015 By emilyrassi

Cold, glazed eyes march their way to mine as an immigration officer at O’Hare International Airport questions my American passport, […]

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.