From preschool to 8th grade, I was homeschooled. I had never even stepped foot on a public school campus until my first day of freshman year of high school. Throughout the years, I learned that there was a stigma about homeschool kids, and it was something I never understood.
Growing up, I was made fun of. Other kids would call me a weirdo and said that I didn't have any friends because I didn't go to a "real" school. I really didn't think anything of it, because I knew that it wasn't true.
I think the part that bothered me the most is that no one saw any benefit of me being homeschooled. I was told things like, "I feel bad for you" or "Your life must be so boring." While it was true that I did not have many friends, I didn't feel bad for myself nor did I think my life was boring.
The thing I absolutely hated was when people would assume that kids that were homeschooled would grow up to be anti-social. I took dance classes twice a week for five years and I was really involved in the youth group at my church. I actually met one of my best friends at church in 4th grade and we are still really close.
I have always loved meeting new people and making friends. I never understood why anyone would make the assumption that I couldn't be a sociable person, just because I didn't grow up in the public school system.
Whenever I would tell people that I was homeschooled, I would get shocked responses and hear people say that they didn't believe me, because I wasn't "weird." I mean, I wasn't locked away from the outside world. Sorry, if I don't fit the weird stigma that you associate me with.
I think that I actually had an advantage of being homeschooled. For one, I was able to go at my own pace and I developed independent learning skills where I don't really need to rely on someone to explain every concept to me. I pick up on pretty much everything in class and my online college classes are a breeze.
I was homeschooled and I am proud of it. I am not anti-social and I will strike up a conversation with anyone. I love finding new hobbies and making new friends. Just because I was homeschooled, does not mean that I don't know how to talk to people. The belief that homeschool kids are sheltered and locked away from society is not necessarily true. We are more social than you think!
