Health and Fitness – Millenial Influx

3 Major Benefits of HIIT High-Intensity Interval Training

On November 11, 2019December 21, 2019 By elenachernov

By Elena Chernov If you hate the gym there’s a whole new world of trendy HIIT workouts for you. Plus, […]

Wearable Tech Market Surges Ahead

On November 4, 2016November 4, 2016 By audreygross

In 2016, experts predict wearable technology sales to hit $14 billion. And it doesn’t stop there. Research indicates that by […]

The Road of Flight

On October 31, 2016 By isaacgreen

“I was surprised, as always, by how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world […]

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 […]

Don’t just watch sports, play them

On January 27, 2014August 16, 2014 By judahnewby

By Judah Newby Whatever happened to the good old days – those growing-up days where you could go outside and […]

Hunger: Temporary Satisfaction vs. Long-Term Health

On January 27, 2014January 28, 2014 By torigreaves

A look at a typical Kenyan meal and its implications for the world today Ugali: a mix of cornmeal and […]

Parenting Affects Childhood Obesity in the United States

On January 26, 2014March 7, 2014 By taylorlindell

Seventeen percent of children aged two to nineteen are overweight or obese in the United States, according to the Center […]

The Daniel Plan: Using Faith to Fight for Fitness

On January 24, 2014July 7, 2014 By alyssapaulsen

The Daniel Plan:

Mind the “Gap”: Social Media vs. Eating Disorders

On December 17, 2013 By alexandriakuo

Fifteen-year-old Becky gazes at her laptop screen with admiration as models like Cara Delevingne and Miranda Kerr strutted down the […]

Paying for your physique: Money wasted on diet pills and supplements

On December 11, 2013December 13, 2013 By alyssapaulsen

by Oskar Cadena and Alyssa Paulsen Gym culture, weight loss efforts, and body image obsession are trends often subjective to […]

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.