ISIS – Millenial Influx

Syria: The War That Defined A Generation

On October 15, 2018October 19, 2018 By micahmcintyre

Syria: The War That Defined A Generation By Micah McIntyre From his freshman year in high school until after he […]

The US has Nothing to Gain in Syria

On May 3, 2018May 3, 2018 By zackarygreene

Opinion: The situation in Syria has gone from bad to worse to catastrophic. All ends of the world meet in […]

What Would a World Without ISIS Look Like?

On March 25, 2016March 25, 2016 By nathanheath

It may be hard to imagine now, as we reel over the wreckage of another dark day in Europe. But […]

America, The Fearful? Anticipatory Anxiety is Everywhere

On December 8, 2015December 8, 2015 By danniehommel

The holiday season in a big city has always had a magical aura to it. People spend outrageous amounts of […]

The Role of Sports in Light of Paris Attacks

On November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 By andersrotto

With the recent bombings of Paris and Beirut, the global perspective of safety and security has been altered. People across […]

Is American Airpower Enough to Stop ISIL with Europe at Risk?

On November 19, 2015 By noahkingsbury

As sparks continue to fly in the wake of the attacks on Paris, the nation is torn on how to […]

Hacktivists: Helpful Allies or Dangerous Enemies?

On November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 By nicholashamm

The word hacking, at least for me, conjures images of late 90s movies where a character types furiously for 15 […]

Why Iran Holds the Key to Defeating ISIS

On November 4, 2015 By maryambighash

Jessica Stern and J.M. Berger wrote in The Atlantic that a Finnish fighter of Somali descent called “on all the […]

As Russian Bombs Drop in Syria, Tensions Continue to Rise

On October 15, 2015December 19, 2018 By noahkingsbury

With the average report of Russian airstrikes in Syria now hovering around 60 per day, the global situation is just […]

Finding Truth at the Mosque Next Door

On March 6, 2015August 15, 2015 By sarahmiller

I happen to live, work, and study in one of the most Christianized towns in the world—Wheaton, Illinois, the “City […]

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.