4 Ways Homeschooling Has Helped Me in College
As I begin my sophomore year at Middle Tennessee State University, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on how grateful I am that my parents homeschooled me. College may not have started quite the way I expected, but the lessons and truths I learned from the Word and from my parents have been a firm foundation through the uncertainty. So without further ado, here are four ways that homeschooling has helped me in college and in life.
Homeschooling has taught me how to teach myself. Although a lot of my classes were virtual last year, the study strategies I learned at home helped me succeed in all my courses. By pacing myself, reaching out to the teachers with questions, and putting my best into each assignment, I made it on the Dean’s list both semesters. The art of teaching oneself is very useful indeed—whether in school or out of school.
Homeschooling has given me the freedom to explore and pursue what I love. When I was little, one of my favorite places in the world was the library (and still is). I could spend hours getting lost in the rows of art, music, nature, horses, cooking, and garden books—especially the garden books. My mom also exposed us to a lot of classical music, literature, and great children’s books growing up. When I was eight years old, I told my parents that I wanted to play the violin and be an artist when I grew up. When I was nine, I began taking violin lessons. Thanks to God’s blessings and my parents’ constant support, I get to live that dream today!
Homeschooling has brought me closer to my family. One of my fondest childhood memories is my mom reading “The Chronicles of Narnia” aloud to us in the living room as we whittled, crocheted, drew, or colored. I learned to sing the Greek alphabet before I learned the English one, simply because I heard my older brother and sister singing it. Every night before we settled down to bed, we had our nightly prayer together in the living room (and still do). Homeschooling is so much more than doing math problems at a kitchen table; it’s doing life with those who love you the most. I wouldn’t trade anything for my childhood family memories.
Homeschooling has given me a love for learning. I have always felt a deep thirst inside of me to know, to do, to find out, to create, to seek, and look over the edge and into the unknown. I believe we all have this yearning inside of us, called Curiosity. When curiosity is smothered or made fun of or neglected, our love of learning begins to fade. I believe that learning doesn’t end when you graduate high school or college; learning ends when you stop being curious. With curiosity and some work ethic, I believe you can learn to do almost anything.
