By Kirsten M. Geddes

"Put another X on the calendar; summer's on its deathbed." This line from "The Calendar" by Panic! At the Disco is all too true for most kids and teens today. Today marks the end of summer vacation and the start of school for many kids. But not all kids follow the same standard back-to-school cycle. If you're homeschooled, like me, your school life is almost entirely different, and so the procedure to get back into school is significantly different than the average student's back to school process.

One of the most exciting parts of going back to school is shopping for clothes. Whether it be shopping for actual clothes, or purchasing uniforms and planning accessories to brighten it up, wearing nice new clothes on the first day of school and making a good impression can be the start of a great school year for many kids. For homeschoolers, however, we don't really have to buy new clothes. A lot of homeschooled kids even get to go to school in their pajamas. While my sisters and I actually get dressed, since we only see each other at school and no one else, clothes are not the priority when purchasing back to school supplies.

For the most part, schools provide all the books the students will need for that year. When homeschooling, the family has to decide which curriculum to use to instruct the children. Often, this means purchasing many books not only for the children, but for the teacher as well. Some may decide to go with an online curriculum and therefore avoid the purchase of books altogether, although my family prefers having physical books, and therefore purchases a separate set of books for the three of us every year.

There is usually one workbook per subject, one quiz book, one test book and in something like science or history, a separate book for labs or maps. Instruction books and lesson plans for the teachers usually are contained in one book for each subject. While it sounds like many books, the obvious advantage with homeschooling is we do not have to carry all these books home.

Other supplies, like notebooks and writing utensils, are for the most part purchased the same as a public school student's supplies. However, there is not one specific type of notebook required; if need be, spare paper may do when needed for a pop quiz or to scribble down what you need to study later. Any type of calculator or protractor will do, and whether you desire to use a pen or pencil is entirely up to your discretion. Overall, shopping for school supplies, outside of deciding which books need to be ordered, is a relatively short and easy process.

While most public schools start the next to last week of August, homeschoolers have an extremely flexible school schedule. Some families decide to keep going year round, with a week or so off once in a while so the kids don't get too tired of school. Some keep right on with the public school schedule, while others start late and finish early. My family usually does not start until after Labor Day, and finishes up by mid-May. We do not short ourselves on lessons, however; since the longest our school day goes is usually from 8 a.m. to noon, it is quite easy for us to double up and do multiple lessons per day. Any time we must take off for an emergency or sick day is quickly made up the next morning. Therefore, going back to school for people like me is not as dreadful as for most people, with our short school hours and flexible schedule. Also, when your teacher is your mom and you get to have quite a bit of one-on-one time with your teacher, it gives you less of an official school sense and more of an educational family time.

Homeschooled children are not so different from kids and teens who go to public school. While our hours may be different, we still learn as much and usually learn it at the same time as our peers. I can't say either of the two is the better option, but education is important, and as long as we are learning, we are better for it in the end.