5 Reasons I’d Be Depressed In Public School


I am currently a senior in highschool and I am homeschooled.  Unlike some of my peers, I do not mind the “homeschool” label, and I actually enjoy having most of my education at home.  I do go to a two-day per week classical program for homeschoolers that is very similar to a private school, but it’s still not the same.

Disclaimer: I’ve actually never been to a public school for the purpose of taking classes, but I have public schooled and private schooled friends. (Gasp, I know, I have friends.)  From what I’ve heard, being homeschooled is pretty great, for me, amazing.  I’m sure there are kids who thrive in the system called public education, but I’m sure not one of them.

Following that rather unnecessarily long introduction, here are five reasons that I’d have depression if I went to public school; or, five reasons that being homeschooled is awesome.

  1. The Colorless Building

I know, I know, the buildings have some color, but in reality, it’s just covering the brain-sucking brown and grays underneath.  I have been in a public school, for the SAT and ACT and a few other times, and I could feel my creativity being suppressed by the prison-like nature of the hallways and classrooms.  I guess that’s a little exaggerated, but its nothing like studying in the sunshine, surrounded by trees and the open air.  Moreover, I get to listen to my own music, as loud as I want, head-phone free.

The best place to learn is not in a room like a tabula rasa, but in a place with plenty of beauty and scope for imagination. At least, that’s my opinion.

2. Peer Pressure, or Pressure in General

Teenagers, the most outwardly judgmental species on the planet.  Someone came up with the brilliant idea of putting all these awkward specimens in one building for eight hours of painful interaction.  Now, I love people, I’m moderately outgoing, and I like to impress people.  I would probably crack under all the pressure I’d feel in a public school.  Pressure to look good, be smart but not too smart, have friends, etc, I’d feel it all.  I would be that kid who tries out for several sports and joins at least two clubs while still trying to stay on top of homework and have a social life.  I don’t know about anyone else, but for me, that’s a recipe for major-stress.

Being homeschooled is awesome in this respect.  Yeah, I feel pressure and still worry about social acceptance, but I can go makeup-less in sweat pants to class and not feel like a failure in life.

Wanting to be accepted by people leads me directly into my next point….

3. The People

Like I said before, I love people, but let’s be honest, people can be mean, dumb, and dramatic.  I do not have any enemies, and in general, most people like me.  I feel like this would not be the case if I went to a public school.  It’s nearly impossible to be around that many people in one’s peer group and not be disliked by at least one person.

I know I’d make friends in public school and that I’d have to ask the Holy Spirit to give me a loving attitude toward the people hard to make friends with.  I’d just probably be doing a lot of that praying.

I realize that I’m going to have to get used to being around more peers when I’m in college next year, but I’m glad I did not have to go through the most awkward, emotionally-charged, stupid years of my life with five-hundred plus kids experiencing the same things.  Sounds like there is a potential for a whole lot of drama, oh wait, there is a whole lot of drama.

I’m not even going to mention the fact that I’d have to work with people that don’t like to work.

4.  The Schedule

Everyone works differently, each person’s circadian rhythm is slightly different.  For example, I am a morning person, my brother is not.  I like to get the majority of my home-work done in the morning, if I’m not working (did I mention I have a job?), while he likes to get his work done later in the evening.

I also like to set my own pace to work, getting the subjects that are easier to whip out done in the morning, while the subjects that take more deep thought and concentration done later.  In public school, I wouldn’t get as much choice in which classes I take in the morning, mid-morning, and afternoon.

I also like taking breaks.  I cannot sit still for an hour or more with just five minute passing periods in the middle. No. Just no.  I can finish my twenty-minute math homework and then do jumping jacks or play on the piano for ten minutes, and give my mind a break and my body some exercise.  It’s awesome.  I also take about an hour for lunch, as I create my own culinary masterpieces, usually from dinner’s leftovers, practice my piano pieces, text people, or see if I have any college letters.  It’s great, but I usually take longer than I mean to.

I could go on about the schedule, but I’ll stop there.

5. The Homework

It’s not that the homework itself would be bad, it could be, but its more about when I’d get the homework done.  I’d spend about eight hours of my morning and early afternoon in a drab building with possibly crazy people, then come home and be expected to spend another two hours, at least, on homework.  That sounds pretty much like torture.

It would be hard to have the motivation to get said homework done as soon as I got home, since I’d be ready to take a nap or go run outside.  If I waited until later, assuming I did not have any evening plans, I would spend my evening doing homework, maybe even stay up late, since I’d most likely be distracted by friends texting and social media.

Either way is not a good option.  Get burnt out on school, or stay up way too late finishing homework.  I’ll take option C, be homeschooled and do your work when you want to and go outside when you want to.  There’s also more motivation required, and therefore, more motivation is acquired.


In Conclusion…

I’m sure it’s not all bad being public schooled, after all, public schoolers have those fun school social events, right?  Because everyone wants to go back to the school building and hang out with all the people they already see at least five times a week, more if they’re into sports.

Honestly, it’s pretty great being homeschooled, for even more reasons than the above.  I do have a social life too, at church and youthgroup, at work, with friends, at my “school.”  I do not feel like I’ve missed out on much, I’ve even gone to prom.

To all my public schooled friends and private schooled friends, you are amazing people, with much more will-power than I have.  I both pity and admire you.  If you like being public-schooled, that’s great, if you don’t, I’m sorry.  God can use us wherever we are, right?

*nota bene: this post is supposed to be mostly tongue-in-cheek, so for those who might take the statement that I’d have depression too seriously, please know that I’m not making depression a trivial or humorous thing.*


Sweet Little Things


Children truly are a blessing from the Lord, even if they can be  pains sometimes.  While I have no children of my own, I have so many “little” friends that I love.  I help in my church’s second-grade Sunday school class and every week, some kid makes my day!

Kids say the funniest things, the meanest things, and the sweetest things.  They have so much enthusiasm!  They have the biggest dreams and hopes.  They give love so easily.  I love talking with little kids, hearing what’s on their hearts and what is going on in their world.  No one has made me as happy as a child telling me that I’m beautiful.

Once, I was walking home from the pool with my cousin and he told me, “Emma, you’re my favorite cousin…if somebody saw you, he would love you.”  That made my heart melt, especially since I often struggle with insecurity.  A little girl told me something just as sweet just the other day.  She said that I was fascinating and different from other people.  I knew that she said this as a compliment, since I’ve received many a hug from her.

What I love most about little kids is their fascination with God.  Though they may not be able to comprehend the whole gospel, they understand that God is big and they are small, that they are sinners and that God is good.  They know that Jesus “died on the cross for our sins,” and love singing about how much they love Jesus.  They do not question that God exists, they do not question the fact that he loves them.  Their faith is beautiful.

What if Jesus Said: “No Offense.”


The other day, my family was having a conversation at the dinner table, and we joked about what the Bible would sound like if Jesus had used the phrase, “no offense,” and other American attempts to keep people from getting upset by what he said.
Here are some of the “padded” Bible verses with some of Jesus’ more offensive statements.

  • “You brood of vipers. No offense, but who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
  • Let’s say hypothetically: if your foot causes you to sin, you should, hypothetically, cut it off.”
  • No offense, but you are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in truth, because the truth is not in him.
  • I won’t mention any names, but everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”
  • No offense, but it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

These are just a few examples of how ridiculous it would be for Jesus to say “no offense.”  Hope you enjoyed this post! If you have any more ideas, please comment below.