Students from all over the world come to the University of Oregon for many different reasons. When I meet people from places other than Oregon, I always ask what brought them here. While the answers vary, one that I get a lot is that people wanted to get away from their hometowns and experience a new place. This honest answer is one that I can connect with. The main reason I came to Oregon was to leave my home state of Utah. I hated it there. But after gaining some perspective, things have changed. I still love Oregon – I love the trees, I love the people, and I love the spirit that surrounds this school – but being away from home is hard. I miss the mountains, I miss my family and friends, and I miss my house. Some days, it’s easy to cope. But other days, I am constantly on the verge of tears because I just want to go home. Homesickness is a difficult thing to deal with, but there are ways to feel better.
Homesickness can kick in right when you get back to your dorm, apartment, or house at school. It’s always surreal to be back, like the break you just returned from was all a dream. After relaxing for so long, the idea of hitting the books again is a hard one to wrap your head around. And chances are, your abode at school is way smaller than your parents’ house, which just makes the transition harder. Even though the sadness that sets in is hard to shake, there are things you can do to make being back a little easier on yourself. The first thing you should do is unpack. Having to stare at your suitcases for a week is only going to annoy you. Your first day back should also be relaxing, so grab some coffee with a friend or do your nails. Once the new term picks up, it’s going to be hard to find time to do little things like that, so taking advantage while you can is really important.
The next kind of homesickness, in my opinion, is the worst. It usually sets in around week two when syllabus week is over and the reality of your course load sets in. Maybe your classes are scary, maybe you don’t know what your professors want, or maybe you’re taking a lot of credits. No matter what it is that’s stressing you out, it’s the initial shock of school that tends to make people yearn for home. And it makes sense – when you’re there, you have no academic responsibilities; you are care-free. It’s scary to be back at school feeling like you can’t accomplish all that your classes want you to. You might not feel good enough. When I feel this way, I find it helpful to call someone from home who I respect; someone who has worked hard for what they have. Getting advice from a person who has been where you are and has done well for themselves is inspiring. It makes you want to achieve something great to make them proud, and more importantly, make yourself proud. Knowing you have support from your hometown will give you the push you need to put your mind on school work, and take it off of missing your home life so much.
Focusing on school isn’t the only way to take your mind off of home, and it shouldn’t be. Being homesick can make you feel anti-social because you don’t think you could have any fun if you went out and did something. But guess what: sulking around isn’t going to help anything. Instead of dwelling on the negative feelings you are having, get up and do something active! Hike Spencer’s Butte, go shopping, puddle jump…. anything but finding excuses to stay home and feel sad. Even if you’re unhappy with your location, you should try to make the best of it. I promise you won’t regret the fun you have.
Even when I am having fun adventures in Eugene, I’m always jealous of my friends who can decide to go home at the drop of a hat. Sometimes, you just need a good old-fashioned home-cooked meal and a hug from your mom. But if your mom is hundreds of miles away, that isn’t really an option. Luckily, I have found that when I’m missing the feeling of being home and being nurtured, going to a friend’s house in a nearby city for the weekend makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Being in a cozy house with a loving family puts my mind at ease. Plus, parents miss parenting us just as much as we miss them doing it, so everybody wins! So the next time you need some TLC, grab your closest Oregonian friend, and plan a family filled weekend.
Being homesick can evoke a lot of feelings, such as sadness, fear, and even anger. But even with all of these emotions, you have to be willing to open yourself up to a new place. Because while it’s true that there is no place like home, it’s also true that there is no experience like college. Always stay connected to where you’re from, be excited about where you’re going, but most importantly, make the most of where you are in the moment you have.
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