Sydney Brynn – Millenial Influx

Millenial Influx

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

Intolerance and Injustice | Tragedy of Ethiopian Jewry in Israel

On March 9, 2014March 21, 2014 By sydneybrynn

They say that they are direct descendants from the family of Abraham. They were recognized in 1975 by Jewish authorities as […]

Flashbulb Memories | Why You Should Go Get Checked for Dementia

On March 8, 2014August 19, 2014 By sydneybrynn

Flashbulb Memories. This specific type of memory is very closely related with a photographic memory, but a flashbulb memory is […]

Education or Exploitation? | Abuse in Boarding Schools at Home and Across the Pond

On March 8, 2014March 21, 2014 By sydneybrynn

Parents pay, on average, $30,000 a year to send their child to a premiere boarding school. These schools were founded […]

What do Most Professional Athletes have in Common?

On March 8, 2014June 25, 2014 By sydneybrynn

What do Michael Phelps, Josh Hamilton and Allen Iverson have in common? Yes, they are all exceptional athletes, but there’ […]

Why School Lunches are Killing Students

On March 6, 2014 By sydneybrynn

“In a typical week, elementary school menus include chicken tenders, cheeseburgers, and ‘Pizza Fridays,’ with sides of cheesy rotini, mozzarella […]

I Just Wanted to Go Home | Depression in College Students

On March 4, 2014March 21, 2014 By sydneybrynn

It was the beginning of her sophomore year at Tulane University. Lucy was on a sports team, involved in many […]

President Obama | The Sochi Olympic Games are about Performance and Nothing Else

On February 27, 2014June 1, 2014 By sydneybrynn

The Sochi Olympic games will kick off in full force as of Friday evening at 7:30pm. But, preparation for […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Freshness of Death | A Reminder of the True Meaning of Thanksgiving

On December 5, 2013 By sydneybrynn

I don’t remember my grandfather. For years, I saw the shell of my grandfather. I was constantly told, “This is […]

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.