It’s the beginning of a brand-new school year, which is super exciting! Something that is not that exciting? Dealing with homesickness.
Whether it is your first year or your last year, you still may be experiencing this. But don’t fret, it’s totally normal! Once you have been homesick once, the easier it gets easier and easier. Till it gets easier though, here are four tips and tricks for dealing with homesickness.
1.) Put on your favorite TV show or movie.
This is the first thing I do when I feel homesick. I will usually browse Netflix for a while before ultimately deciding to watch To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before for the tenth time, but that movie never fails to put me in a good mood. If you aren’t in the mood for a movie, that is totally fine! TV shows or YouTube videos work too, as long as it’s something to put you in a good mood.
2.) Talk to someone about it, a.k.a hang out with friends!
Even if you have dealt with being homesick before, sometimes you just need to talk to someone about how you feel. They might not be able to understand exactly what you’re going through, but you will probably feel better once you’ve gotten this off of your chest. Another thing that helps is hanging out with your friends! Go see a movie or get dinner, whatever floats your boat. You can even go without mentioning how you’re feeling homesick if you don’t want to, but if you do, then that’s also great!
3.) Put on your favorite song/playlist.
You know, it might just be one of those things where you just need to belt along with your favorite playlist. Nothing Taylor Swift’s new album can’t fix! Being homesick is not fun and won’t automatically go away, but a little, a mixture, or all of these things will help.
4.) Have a good cry.
Crying helps. Especially when you’re homesick, and if you’re far away from home, it’s not as simple as being able to go home. You miss home, which is totally understandable. You could be in a new environment for the first time, and that can be really overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to just let it all out in the comfort of your pillow.
But you can get through this! Being away from home is hard, but it is also usually temporary! On days where it seems to much come back to this list to remind yourself that these feelings will pass.