basketball – Millenial Influx

Equal Pay? Not For The WNBA.

On November 18, 2018April 10, 2019 By maciweeks

OPINION Equal pay? Not for the WNBA. By Maci Weeks The highest scoring WNBA basketball player of all time, […]

Hoops & Beats: The Dual Passion of Jack Bennett

On November 14, 2018November 25, 2018 By gracepointner

PROFILE Hoops & Beats: The Dual Passion of Jack Bennett By Grace Pointner From the court to the keyboard, Jack […]

My Basketball Story: Lessons from a Torn ACL

On February 7, 2017February 7, 2017 By karacunningham

When I think back to the summer of 2012, there were some days I just didn’t want to be bothered. […]

Why Flopping is Destroying the NBA

On March 22, 2016March 31, 2016 By aaronjohnson

One of the trends that we have begun to see in sports is the “Flop” and the use of acting […]

A Week Away From Giving Up on a Dream

On February 2, 2016February 2, 2016 By aaronjohnson

As I moved into my senior year of high school things were looking pretty cloudy in my future. Throughout high […]

Kobe Bryant: A Relic from Another Age

On December 8, 2015December 9, 2015 By sethhumeniuk

Kobe Bryant: A Relic from Another Age In 1996, Bill Clinton was president, Michael Jordan was fresh off his fourth […]

Nerlens Noel and the NBA’s One-and-Done Problem

On October 16, 2015October 16, 2015 By andersrotto

Once a year, on a warm June night, thousands of fans, coaches and general managers alike pile into a theater, […]

Blood, Sweat, and Jesus: the Power of Sports Ministry

On March 6, 2015April 14, 2020 By abbydorman

Blood, Sweat, and Jesus: the Power of Sports Ministry By Abby Dorman It was almost time for lunch, and they […]

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’ […]

Abby Dorman: Girl Next Door Goes Global

On November 11, 2013 By nickpulgine

A broken foot (twice), a mom with multiple sclerosis, a dad with a passion for sports, and a heart for […]

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.