From online high school in Kingman, Kansas to Hutch CC

By Emma Cox

Campus Editor

When I first tell people that I did three years of high school online, they are shocked and tell me that they would have never guessed that about me because I don’t act shy at all.

In reality, I was terrified when I first started my college career. I had no idea what it was going to be like walking into a classroom again after three years of being an online student.

Doing online schooling had its benefits. I was able to be home with my family, and I was also able to work a full-time job that I had for over two years before I moved into the dorms. I learned a lot of self-discipline and self-motivation. I didn’t have a teacher reminding me about assignments and I didn’t have books for classes or physical homework.

Online schooling also had its downfalls for me. I lost a lot of ‘friends’ when I left Kingman High School. I quickly learned that they weren’t even my real friends. I wasn’t able to participate in many of the school activities with the few friends that did stick around because I wasn’t considered a Kingman High student, but at the same time I was. That didn’t make sense at all. I had to skip out on my senior prom, which wasn’t much of a loss to me considering I had no real interest in going.

When I decided that I was going to attend Hutchinson Community College, I didn’t know what to expect. I was going to be roommates with a complete stranger and didn’t know a lot of people.

When I went to my first class I was a little nervous, but luckily I had my brother in that class, so I had someone to talk to and I wouldn’t be sitting there all awkward like I normally would. When it came to us introducing myself to the class, I was like a deer in the headlights and quickly said what I had to say. I ran into the same situation with my other classes but I made it through.

Sometimes, I find it hard to go places on my own, even if it is just to go to Rimmer Learning Center to print something off, but I manage to convince myself to go.

As the semester is coming to a close, I managed to make some good friends and get to know my surroundings more. I speak out more in class, and I’ve gotten more comfortable talking with new people.
So far I have had an amazing experience and hopefully it continues on.

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