No matter if you’re a first-year or a senior, having to spend most of the school year away from your family can make anyone miss the comforts of home. While you might get used to it, there unfortunately won’t really be a way to completely get rid of your homesickness, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It just means that you have a good support system back at home that you can’t wait to get back to. While you have to be away from home, use these tips to quell your homesick blues.
Stay in Touch With Your Family
While it’s nothing like actually being at home, getting to call or Skype your family is the best when you’re missing them or need their support after a rough day. It can also help you feel more connected to your family and stay informed about what’s happening in their lives and vice versa.
This can also work for the furry members of your family. I really, genuinely miss my dog sometimes, and getting a picture or video of him playing or sleeping automatically improves my mood.
Make Occasional Visits Home
If you have the time and ability, there’s no reason you can’t make a trip home. A weekend with your family is the best medicine for a stressful week, after all. Just be careful about going home too much; it takes a lot of time out of the weekend that you could be using to stay up to date on work, hang out with friends, or participate in campus activities.
Find Your Home Here On Campus
Whether it’s with roommates, sorority sisters, co-workers, or classmates, find a group of people that really makes you feel comfortable and at home. And then find something, an extracurricular or volunteer opportunity, that really fulfills you. These activities and people will be your home away from home, giving you a place to be yourself and feel comfortable doing so. While it won’t be exactly like the home you’ve always known, it will be a new place for you to belong.