I was home-schooled my entire life and I loved every minute of it. I would get up in the morning and usually have my schoolwork done around lunch. I got to spend time with my siblings every day and we're all very close as a result of that. Since I would finish my work early, I could get my chores out of the way and then read, play outside, or just enjoy my free time. Although, as homeschoolers, we do tend to be a bit of a mystery to other people. Thus, we tend to get a barrage of weird questions and comments as a result. So, this is for my fellow homeschoolers. I'm sure you can relate to hearing these.

HOW DO YOU MAKE FRIENDS?

I never quite know how to react to this question. I generally end up giving the person who asked me this question a blank stare. Just because I don't go to school doesn't mean I don't know how to make friends. All it means is that I have to seek out outlets for making friends and it forced me to be a little more outgoing. (Although, I didn't need help in that area.) In my case, we were always very involved with homeschool groups. I had no shortage of friends or outlets for making them.

I THOUGHT HOMESCHOOLERS WERE ALL SHY OR SOCIALLY AWKWARD

HA. NOPE. I mean, there's socially awkward or shy people everywhere you go, homeschoolers or otherwise. But firstly, we don't need to berate people for being socially awkward or shy. Secondly, there's no need to stereotype a group of individuals into a specific personality type. But really. Speaking from experience, I know a lot of outgoing homeschoolers. In fact, I'm one myself. According to the stereotype, I would be quiet and shy, when in reality, I'm more like this:

OK, maybe a little less crazy. But I'm very outgoing and love to talk to people. So we're just like everyone else. We range from very outgoing to very shy and everywhere in between.

WHY AREN'T YOU AT SCHOOL?

This is quite possibly the most terrifying question that we homeschoolers get asked. Usually it's by an adult we don't know at the grocery store or something. Honestly, after we've been asked this question a few times, we come up with a response that we use every time that we hear it. Something like, "Well, I'm homeschooled." Although that occasionally leads to, "WHY AREN'T YOU AT HOME DOING SCHOOL?" That's when it's time to explain that you finished your schoolwork already. Honestly, it's like people think we homeschoolers don't actually do anything productive.

DO YOU DO SCHOOL IN YOUR PAJAMAS?

This is basically the ultimate question. It's the one that's asked the most often and people always seem most interested in the answer. And honestly the answer depends on your families rules, sometimes the mood of your mother, and occasionally the phase of the moon. Okay, I kid, I kid. Some homeschoolers do and some don't. Occasionally, my siblings and I were allowed to do school in our pajamas, but, most mornings, my mother required us to get dressed.

All in all, homeschooling is pretty great. Even if we get weird questions occasionally, it's worth the experience that comes with being homeschooled.