profile – Millenial Influx

Christy Kim: A Hardworking and Passionate Friend!

On December 15, 2020December 15, 2020 By lilymejiagautreau

By: Lillian Mejia-Gautreau Christy Kim is to all who know her an amazingly passionate person! Christy’s family was always moving […]

Michael Gehl: ‘You Got A Friend in Me’

On December 7, 2020December 7, 2020 By miapittshope

Michael Gehl: ‘You Got A Friend in Me’ By Mia Pitts-Hope Meeting people seems to be never ending. You meet […]

Wheaton’s Frozen Chosen: Jake Rhoads

On March 4, 2020March 27, 2020 By abramerickson

Wheaton’s Frozen Chosen: Jake Rhoads By Abram Erickson To spend an hour in conversation with Jake Rhoads is a lesson […]

Sarah Doyle: Home, relationships, and adding spice to life

On December 13, 2019December 21, 2019 By cassidykeenan

By Cassidy Keenan I sit in a comfortable chair in Lower Beamer and look at Sarah Doyle, who is sitting […]

Hannah Pugh: There Is Beauty In Vulnerability

On December 11, 2019December 21, 2019 By elenachernov

There Is Beauty In Vulnerability By Elena Chernov It was a brisk November Wednesday afternoon. We sat down in the […]

Melissa: Her Compassion Filled Life

On December 9, 2019December 18, 2019 By jeremiahthompson

Melissa: Her Compassion Filled Life By Jeremiah Thompson Melissa Schill is someone who has led what may seem to others as a […]

Kinnon Rockness: When God Slows You Down

On December 5, 2019December 11, 2019 By valeriehalim

By: Valerie Halim My first few encounters with Kinnon There was nothing particularly striking when I first saw Kinnon Rockness. […]

Being Yourself, Knowing Yourself, and Respecting Yourself: What I Learned from Taylor Meyer’s Story

On November 14, 2018December 1, 2018 By kaitlin-liebling

PROFILE Being Yourself, Knowing Yourself, and Respecting Yourself: What I Learned from Taylor Meyer’s Story By Kaitlin Liebling I step […]

Be Like Will DiGena: Do Something Totally Irrational

On November 13, 2018November 25, 2018 By abramerickson

PROFILE Be Like Will DiGena: Do Something Totally Irrational By Abram Erickson There’s always a crackle of excitement in Will […]

Bella Mckay: A Voice of Conviction

On November 16, 2016November 17, 2016 By audreygross

First impressions are a funny thing. You only have a single moment to communicate to someone who you are from […]

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.