I have moved to Belmont three times now. Whether I was in Potter, Thrailkill or Hillside, the result has always been the same. When my mom leaves me after I am all unpacked and I watch her drive away, I get homesick. I hate to admit this. I am in college. I should be having fun with friends and enjoying classes, but unfortunately that is not always the case. I still have a fear of missing out on things at home and miss my family dearly while I am gone. But that’s ok! Homesickness gets better, and I am here to give you some tips on how to get passed the icky sick feelings!
Give it time– I know that this piece of advice probably doesn’t seem very helpful, but give yourself some time to start feeling better. Once classes start and you get back into a routine, things don’t always seem so grim. After a few weeks at school, you’ll get used to being away and your homesickness won’t feel so unbearable.
Keep yourself busy– The times when I feel worst are the times that I sit in my room and do nothing. Go do something! Find a friend to hang out with, get a job, or just sit somewhere where there are lots of people. Just being out and about will make you feel better. And once you get farther into school, you’ll have classes to keep you busy.
Get in a routine– One thing that helped me immensely my freshman year and has continued to help me throughout college (not just to cure homesickness, but to live a balanced life in general) is to have a routine. I wake up and go to the gym at the same time every morning, I plan out all of my meals and when I eat them, and I go back and forth from work to school the same way everyday. These things might not seem like a very big deal, but having my day planned out and knowing what to expect always makes me feel better and gives me a sense of control.
Call your mom or whoever else you miss from home– I call my mom everyday. Just having a short conversation with her before or after school makes me feel better. Nothing compares to being with someone face to face, but video chat is the next best thing. Take advantage of the technology you have.
Don’t try to hide it– During my freshman year of college, I was VERY homesick. I would call every single one of my family members every single day. I would spend hours crying in my room. I would look at the people around me and feel like I was the only homesick person around. All of my friends were always so excited about living at Belmont and always raved about how they loved their new freedoms. I, however, felt the complete opposite. What I have learned since then is that it is totally ok to miss home. One person’s experience isn’t always the same as everyone else’s and that’s ok! Trying to hide that you are homesick and comparing yourself to others does not help anything. If you don’t try to hide it and just let your feelings be, it is a lot easier to get over.
Homesickness is definitely not fun, but it also won’t last forever. If you’re feeling a little blue today and miss your home, hopefully these tips will help you find your sunshine!
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