Life is Just a Portfolio

Get credit for your awesome trip to Europe!

Tourists are weird., originally uploaded by another sergio.

As a homeschooler I have the chance to build what is called a "portfolio". Now everyone has this chance, but for a homeschooler it is of special importance because they probably don't have a whole list of specific scholastic and extracurricular activities to draw from to impress a college or future employer.


Basically, a portfolio is a package of written documents (charts, or even videos) that show your extensive knowledge of a subject learned outside the classroom. For example, say you did an internship at a local preschool--you might get a few college credits if you write a nice report, include some good photos, testimonials, and are very convincing about how much you learned. 


If you really get into this, you can get college credit or a convincing résumé for tons of things, and you'll be looking everywhere for chances to learn. So this brought a thought to my mind: this is an interesting way to look at life, like a constant learning opportunity. Instead of saying, "Oh, that's an inconvenience," or, "I don't have time for that," dig deeper for the value in almost everything! The next time the chance for an activity comes up, think twice about its worth. On the surface it might just look like a fun time (example: being in a little theater production) but maybe it's more than that (a couple of credits for a drama class).


Even if you don't turn your experiences into a "flesh-and-blood" portfolio, it all goes into who you are as a person, and that's worth a lot, any way you cut it.