When people talk about homesickness in college, they usually mean missing a place. It could be their house, their hometown or the people they left behind. For me, homesickness feels different. It is not tied to a specific street or building but to something less tangible: culture. Although I am from St. Louis, my roots are in Mexico City, and now that I am attending college at Mizzou, I have realized that what I miss most is not just home but the everyday presence of my culture.
Mexico City is vibrant, loud and full of life. It is in the language spoken around you, the food on every corner, the music playing in the background and the traditions woven into daily routines. Culture is not something you have to look for; it surrounds you effortlessly. Coming to college in Missouri, I didn’t expect how noticeable its absence would feel. While Mizzou offers many opportunities and a diverse student body, there are few visible aspects of Mexican culture in my day-to-day life. That absence creates a quiet kind of homesickness, one that is harder to explain because it is not about missing a single thing but everything that makes a place feel familiar.
This feeling shows up in small moments. It can be hearing English all day instead of Spanish or realizing that the food available around campus doesn’t taste like what I grew up with. It is missing the casual cultural references, the shared humor and the sense of belonging that comes from being surrounded by people who understand your background without explanation. In those moments, I don’t just miss home, I miss feeling culturally at ease.
To cope with this, I have found ways to reconnect with my culture, even while being far from it. One of the most meaningful ways I do this is through cooking. Making Mexican dishes allows me to bring a piece of home into my college life. The process itself, the smells, the ingredients and the recipes passed down or remembered all play a role in grounding me. Cooking becomes more than just preparing food; it becomes a way to recreate familiarity and comfort. It reminds me of family, of shared meals and of the cultural identity that continues to shape who I am.
Another way I stay connected is by calling my family often. Hearing their voices, speaking Spanish, and staying involved in their daily lives helps me feel grounded, even when I am away. It reminds me that my culture is not something distant, but something still present in my relationships. Being relatively close to home in St. Louis also makes a difference. Knowing I can visit and reconnect in person gives me a sense of comfort and stability that eases the distance.
While cooking and staying connected to my family cannot fully replace what I miss, they help bridge the gap between where I am and where I come from. They remind me that culture is not only tied to a place, but something I carry with me. Over time, I have learned that homesickness does not always mean longing for a location. Sometimes, it is a longing for identity, connection and belonging.
Being at Mizzou has taught me to be more intentional about holding onto my culture. Even in a place where it is not as visible, I have found ways to keep it alive in my daily life. In doing so, I am learning that while I may feel far from home, my culture is never truly out of reach.