Islam – Millenial Influx

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

The Minority Experience: Do I “Look Like My Name?”

On April 22, 2016April 22, 2016 By makaylacole

April 17, 2016– Claire Edwards is an Asian American student attending Trinity Christian College, and dealt with a stereotype as […]

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 […]

Islamophobia and Hollywood: A Brief History

On February 26, 2015September 28, 2015 By sarahmiller

Last month, American Sniper surpassed Saving Private Ryan as the highest grossing war movie in Hollywood history. To date, it […]

Online War on ISIS: Millennials Tweet & Promise Revenge

On February 24, 2015February 24, 2015 By alexandriakuo

Every major news source has been focusing their attentions on the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, better known as […]

Terrorism in the Middle East Making Us Lose Faith in Religion

On February 24, 2015February 24, 2015 By abbydorman

In response to the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians by ISIS in the Middle East, President Barack Obama was hesitant […]

Copenhagen: a twofold conversation about expression and religion

On February 24, 2015February 24, 2015 By kirkan

Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein opened fire in Denmark at a freedom of expression talk and at a bat mitzvah, killing […]

Protesting for the protested: the defenders of immigration

On January 13, 2015January 15, 2015 By kirkan

Immigrants have been long-cast as underdogs and victims. However, in recent years, the seeming charity of inviting foreigners into one’s […]

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.