I'm 22 years old and just found this subreddit. I was homeschooled K-8, and then attended a private school that was half online through what would have been my high school years, which overlapped with COVID. My experience with homeschooling left me with serious gaps in my education starting highschool (at one point I hardly understood how semester systems worked, or even a solid understanding of months and days of the week).
My mother homeschooled me through the k-4 years and worked at it, but she passed away when I was young. My father chose to continue homeschooling us k4-8 because it was what she had wanted, it lead to a period of extreme neglect and lack of socialization. while I still don't fully understand that decision, I believe he was deep in grief at the time. By high school I was severely depressed, barely keeping up, and I think the only reason I graduated was that COVID had made regulations more lenient. I failed many classes and hated being blamed for it. How can you hold a kid responsible for self studying through school with almost no support or foundation.
After I turned 18, my dad met my now stepmother who pushed hard for me to attend a four-year university. I got in entirely thanks to her help with the application and an ACT score of 24, which I credit almost entirely to how much I read as a kid. It didn't last. I dropped out, wrecked my credit, and hit the lowest point of my life.
What pulled me out of it was work. A job at a summer camp led to seasonal conservation and trail work, along with snowmaking at a ski resort, and this summer a lead position at a national forest with better pay and real responsibilities. Along the way I met my girlfriend, and we've been living together for l a year. She has a college degree, comes from a successful family, and is one of the most genuinely kind people I've ever known. For the first time in my life I also have real friends, and emotionally I feel better than I ever have. Also am loan free(student loans I was pressured to sign for) thankfully the seasonal work ive done has very low cost or free housing letting me save I have a car now and maxed my Roth IRA last year
Don’t in any way recommend this but it just happened right when I started working seasonly I took one dose of psilocybin which helped me see clearly for the first time in years and have not touched substance since instead of feeling numb I was actually able to reflect, and what came out of it was a real understanding of how much I love the outdoors and that my struggles weren't about intelligence, just a bad start in education.
I've been looking into trail supervisor roles with the NPS, which don't always require a degree its something I’m very interested in would and would include government benefits and I hope to be able to do long term. I'm curious whether other people from homeschool backgrounds have gravitated toward outdoor or trade fields because of the appeal of hands on work and a more direct path forward and resonates with others who felt left behind academically.
Eventually I want to mend my relationship with my parents. I am still unsure how do I even approach that when if in a public school fucks you up from bullying or what ever it is you blame the system the government. Not your family I am upset at my upbringing sure but don’t want to be a dick about it.
Im at a stage of very minimal contact. I scheduled to get coffee with my father yesterday we talked pretty much entirely about work though.
Also if anyone has any resources or suggestions towards improving my employability for the parks?
Right now I am hoping to network with this national forest learn and take any opportunities I have for more training and complete a WFR course.
Lastly I’ve looked at a handful of stories here of people who’ve maybe had similar experiences and want to be able to help. Should I be voting against any pro homeschool legislation (Colorado)? Are there support groups for this stuff I can donate to?