"How do you deal with the isolation?""What's it like not having any friends?" These are questions I hear alltoo often. The public's view of homeschooling surprises me. It's not justhillbillies who homeschool their kids, but also normal middle-class families insuburban America. Homeschooling has become more popular recently, and with newmethods including online learning, it's even the thing to do.

So let'stackle the first misconception - isolation. My mom can't keep me at home. I'minvolved in many things, such as 4-H. It's through these many activities that Ieliminate the second misconception. I have friends. I actually pity the publicschool student who is crammed into small rooms with hundreds of others - friendsand enemies - for a hearty helping of mass learning. I have the option ofchoosing my friends.

Another idea of the misinformed public is that uspoor unfortunate ones have no social skills, only skills to keep our noses in thebooks. Allow me to set the record straight - my social skills are so like anormal teenage girl's that they trample over any lack of learning I may harbor.I'd rather talk to friends, but don't get me wrong - my learning atmosphere haslet me hold a solid 4.0 GPA through my high school career.

There aremany learning options for a homeschooler. I go to a school for homeschoolers oncea week to take classes my mom couldn't otherwise teach me, such as geometry.There, I have real teachers and real work along with real-live classmates.Another option I embrace with my typing fingers is that of online learning.Through Florida High School online, I take chemistry and SAT prep. Again, this iswith real teachers and real grades.

This leads me to another commonlymisunderstood area - grades. My 4.0 doesn't come from my mommy who grades my workwith smiley face stickers, it comes from real teachers. I have to work just ashard as the next person.

So now that you are no longer part of themisinformed public, the next time you encounter a homeschooler, you can ask,"So who are your friends?" instead of, "Do you have any?"