This morning my brother and I were playing badminton as we dried off from our morning swim. A school bus drove by. “Wow,” I thought to myself, “most kids are on their way to school right now. How weird is that? I am soooo glad to be homeschooled!”

I definitely haven’t always been there! I have both gone to school (and really enjoyed it!) and been homeschooled, and there are definitely pros and cons to both. However, the most important difference between them is the level of flexibility.

When you’re homeschooled, you are flexible. That can be really great. Or not. While it gives you the opportunity to get sunshine, be active, eat better, and do your school more efficiently, it can also lead to being in your pajamas all day and just getting through life, and I have definitely fallen into that trap.

When you are homeschooled, everything is up to you and your parents. But honestly, mostly you! You are going to have to make the decision to structure your day and give your all to your schoolwork. I know that sounds grueling. But it doesn’t have to be! 

In fact, that’s the coolest thing about homeschooling. When you go to school, everything is structured for you. But when you’re homeschooled, you can decide what to do and when, depending on your goals and interests. This allows you to focus on the things you care about and be more efficient at accomplishing your goals.

Here are some tips for making the most of the 2024-2025 school year:

Come up with a plan for yourself!

When I feel like I’m not accomplishing everything I want to, I like to write all my thoughts out and form a plan. Things you can include are:

• Daily habits you want to form
• Hobbies you want to dedicate time to
• Athletic goals
• Your current commitments
• Subjects you are interested in studying
• Books you want to read
• Anything else on your mind!

Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect! The goal is to collect your thoughts and get on track. Here is my basic overview for this year:

PLEASE get ready for the day!

I remember when I told people I had switched to homeschooling the first thing they said was, “Oh lucky! Now you can wear pajamas all day!” That sounds pretty great, right? Unfortunately, the days I have tried to wear pajamas and just do the bare minimum have been pretty miserable. I know that seems weird. But deep down we all know it and just need to trust that wiser voice.

You will be so much happier if you get up, make your bed, and put on a cute outfit! Take yourself seriously!

Make sure you practice studying, annotating, and taking notes!

As a homeschooler, it is definitely a lot easier to just do your work without a lot of the important habits you would develop at school, like note taking and studying. After all, everything is kind of homework when you’re homeschooled, so why study? 

I have definitely gone through times where I got through my school day just doing the bare minimum and getting okay grades. However, when I make an effort to write notes and set aside study time, I am always so much more efficient and understand things a lot better.

I have also been told by so many adults how important these skills are in college. When I practice these habits, it helps me feel more confident about my academic future.

Communicate with your parents

Like I said earlier, as homeschoolers our education is up to us and our parents. So, make sure you tell them what you want to get out of your school year. If you are struggling or don’t feel challenged, you need to let them know! If you made a plan like I suggested, share it with them.

One of the ways I make sure my parents and I are on the same page is our weekly fikas! My mom talks about them in this post.

Listen to music (but also don’t)

Music is such a great studying tool, and as a homeschooler you can listen to it any time! This is really helpful for me especially when I need to buckle down and get something done. But I’ve also noticed that it is important to take some study time in silence. It helps my mind slow down a little and take things in.

Keep it simple

All of these tips are actually pretty obvious. That’s because at the end of the day, homeschooling should be simple!

I guess that’s my last tip. If you feel like you are not as productive as you want to be, see if there is anything you can stop doing. Do you have any commitments you don’t enjoy or need? Are you doing too many classes?

I’ve found that the school years I have a lot of extra things going on are a lot less successful than the ones when I’ve allowed myself to focus on the essentials and the things I love.

In Conclusion

There are two ways to see homeschooling:

1. You’re stuck at home all day with Mom without the opportunities you get at school
2. You have an amazing opportunity to take initiative and become a better version of yourself! In other words, you are free!

I love homeschooling. You definitely have to hold yourself accountable, but once you find the right structure and rhythm, being homeschooled frees you up to pursue what you love, spend time with the people you love most, and do school at your own pace.

I hope this was helpful! If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, I would love to hear from you!

-BTC