Works for Me!

One of the best things about being homeschooled is having the ability to spontaneously take a day off every now and then. Oh yeah, I didn't mention that before, did I? Being homeschooled. Well, now you know. Here the top three most commonly asked questions about being homeschooled, and my answers:


1. "Do you have any friends?" No. I sit in a dark room and talk to my hand puppets in my spare time. Of course I have friends. School isn't the only place you meet people, you know.
2. "Do you do your homework in your pajamas?"  Uh, yeah. (What I find funniest about this question is how people react when I say yes, like it's the most awesome thing ever to do math homework in pajamas).
3. "But what about prom?" ...What about it, exactly? Honestly, I've been asked this by more adults than teenagers...which is a little weird, don't you think?

And of course, contrary to popular belief, I am not required to wear any of the following:
1. Ankle length skirts.
2. Overalls.
3. A bun.
4. Conservative business-woman attire.
5. A leash.

I am your every day 16 year old girl who goes to the mall at least once a month, never has enough clothes and reads Seventeen Magazine. I love to plan parties and go to the pool and have new experiences as often as I can. I just happen to take three college courses and do my schoolwork on my kitchen table.

A lot of people ask why I'm homeschooled, and it's a good question. They ask if my parents made me, if I've been homeschooled all my life or if I like it. My mom brought up the idea of homeschooling while I was in third grade and enrolled in private school. When I first heard what it was, it totally freaked me out. I was all, "No way! I want to be with my friends in normal school." So my mom didn't bring it up again. But then the idea really started sinking in, and I'd think about it while I was at school or with my friends. After a few months I started to realize that my friends weren't very nice to me. They actually just kinda ignored me, I guess. I was way ahead in school because my mom had done some stuff with me over the summer. I was really starting to consider it.

Then fourth grade come around, and I really didn't get along with my teacher. I still felt the same way about my friends. I went up to my mom and said, "I want to try homeschooling." Halfway through fourth grade I packed up my desk and left. My mom said if I didn't like homeschooling I could always go back to normal school. I never did.

So yeah. I like homeschooling. After all, I'm an at-home high school junior. It's not so much that I didn't want to go to high school...but I just knew I wouldn't fit there. I don't swear, drink, do drugs and I've never had a boyfriend. Honestly, I'm way too immature for one. I have amazing friends who get me now, so what did school have to offer me? More stress? No thanks.

Next year, I'll technically be in college. I've got this plan, to do my degree requisites at community college, so then when I get to University I'll have all the boring stuff done and the credits complete, so I can take courses I'm really interested in and study abroad. Six months in Europe and the other six in Australia and New Zealand.

So no, homeschooling is certainly not for everyone, but it sure is for me.