When High School Feels Like College
By Brooklyn C.
Education: College or high school campus entrance. Building. by fstop123 from Getty Images Signature Created in Canva
About a week ago I met up with a friend over coffee. While she was working on her laptop across from me, I drafted the outline of my recent English essay. My friend said something that caught my attention: “Wow, it’s like you’re living as a college student already.” Surprisingly, it seemed true. Within the past twenty minutes I had booked a taxi, paid the driver, ordered my drink, and begun to work off my phone’s Wi-Fi, all on my own. It got me thinking, what similarities are there between online high school and college students’ day-to-day? What freedoms and responsibilities come from online schools that are carried into college? How can attending an online school prepare students for college life outside academics?
The first thing I wanted to know was how the daily structures of NorthStar students and college students compare. While online students can pick their class times every day, most college students have set class times that they have to show up to. I sent out a form to NSA’s high school students, asking them what time they tend to start school each morning. Out of twenty interviewees, responses varied from 5:45 am till 11:00 am, though a majority (70%) start from around 8:00-9:00 am. Of the students interviewed, 75% like to plan their day beforehand. MJ said, “I believe learning how to navigate through your day with assignments while also staying productive really helps understand college-life.”
On the one hand, self-planning a day can come with all sorts of freedoms. Many students say online school gives them more “chill-time” to spend with family, friends, or activities they enjoy. Mia said, “Online school gives me a lot more time in my schedule because I don’t have to travel to-and-from school. I have more time to do some of my hobbies like weightlifting, baking, and writing.” Seven students interviewed are involved with community sports, something online school gives them space to do. Zoe plays tennis competitively and spends at least 4 hours a day training. Some students enjoy planning their days to include studying at libraries or coffee shops, especially when traveling.
On the other hand, the freedom of creating a routine according to a person’s ideal lifestyle can come with its challenges, specifically as a high schooler. Twelve of the twenty admit it is easier to fall behind in online school. Hope says, “It’s like an inherent trait of homeschoolers to be behind.” Hudson mentioned that he attends school virtually for health reasons, often making it hard to stay on pace. Nellie and Porter pointed out that without a teacher or classmates to keep them accountable, it becomes harder to stay on task. It is safe to say, the flexibility of self-paced courses requires focus, determination, and planning.
Online schools prepare students to be independent outside the classroom as well. We set our own school hours, often make our own lunch/breakfast, intentionally schedule time with friends, and can even be more likely to start healthy habits like exercising regularly. Since starting online school three years ago, I have managed to go from hating exercise with passion to looking forward to it. A few students mentioned that they plan on college looking a lot different than their lives currently, however, Carson says, “... If you did college online it'd be the exact same! You learn a lot more about time management online than you do in-person, so online school really helps prepare you for college in that sense.”
Whether you are new to online school or a seasoned professional, there is always something that can be taken and applied to the real world. Staying productive amidst sports practice, at-home distractions, and minimal accountability is a challenge that online school students master before college, giving them an upper hand when they start their first semester. College and online school both involve self-planning, determination, and intentionality inside and outside the classroom.
Columns: 🧑🚀NSA Culture 🔎Informational
Brooklyn C. lives in South Asia with her three siblings, mom, dad, pet cats, and pet turtles. She is in eleventh grade and has been a student at NorthStar for three years. She spends her free time painting and drawing, in hopes of pursuing a career in children's book illustration. She also enjoys running, going on walks, listening to music, reading, watching movies, and traveling.