Looking back – Millenial Influx

Millenial Influx

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

The Story o Mi Abuelo and His Battle with Cancer.

On December 10, 2020December 15, 2020 By lilymejiagautreau

(My grandfather) By Lillian Mejia-Gautreau My grandfather was a tough, brave person. He was a man of God, and he […]

Migration in a Quickly Changing World

On December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 By alisejarvis

Migration in a Quickly Changing World Tensions continue to rise in the face of mass migration By Alise Jarvis and […]

U.S.-Chinese Relations Are Sinking

On November 17, 2020November 17, 2020 By matthewnakamura

U.S.-Chinese Relations Are Sinking The trend line might not improve very much during Biden administration. News Analysis By Matthew Nakamura […]

Sports and Social Change: The Not So New Trend

On November 16, 2020November 16, 2020 By michaelgehl

It seems that all the media portrays about sports recently are athletes protesting and speaking out about social injustices in […]

Back to the past and a future in broadcast

On January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 By maggiefranke

A profile of Josephine McLaughlin Wheaton College junior Josephine McLaughlin is no average Wheatie. From her internship opportunity at WGN […]

Get to Know Trinity’s VP of Enrollment: Rick Riddering

On May 4, 2017April 15, 2018 By geenacalomino

Trinity Christian College is known for its tight community and their family feel. This feeling is true, too, when you […]

Hairstyle Trend Roller Coaster

On April 4, 2017 By karacunningham

Decade after decade, the transition in between fashion trends has shown to be a constant influence over today’s generation. […]

Female, Young, and Qualified: How Social Oppression Remains Static Across Borders

On November 21, 2016November 21, 2016 By gabrielledemeritt

She walks into a room in a fitted green blazer and black platform boots with that über confident presence that […]

Things I’ve Learned from Having No Positive Male Figure in My Early Years of Adulthood

On October 31, 2016 By gabrielledemeritt

I won’t go into much detail about my dad or what it was like when I found out he wasn’t […]

I came out of the closet because I didn’t find Jesus there

On October 31, 2016December 4, 2016 By jonathangonzalez

I heard the word faggot for the first time in fifth grade at the tetherball arena. The Pratt twins were […]

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.