Being on your own for the first time, whether it be moving away to college, or even traveling without family members, can be very exciting. You’re experiencing new things while learning how to be independent. On the other hand, it can be quite nerve-wracking, being away from family for a period of time. For me personally, being on my own was when I studied abroad in a different country. During the spring semester of 2020, I had the wonderful opportunity of studying abroad in Sydney, Australia. Sydney is such a beautiful city, and during the short time that I was there, I got to see and do so many things that I never thought I would ever do in my life. The only thing is, I was basically on the other side of the world, far away from my family, my friends, and things that I was comfortable with back home in Boston. I found it difficult to find my own routine and make friends. As a result, I felt very homesick and wanted to go back home within my first week. Everybody feels some sort of homesickness, wherever they are. Here are four ways that I dealt with homesickness while in Sydney:
- Don’t be afraid to decorate!
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I was only going to be in Australia for four months, which made me feel that I didn’t have to decorate my room or do anything to make it feel homier. All I brought with me were three pictures of my family, and letters that my friend gave me to open at different times in Australia before I left. However, during the first couple of weeks, I felt weird being in my room, seeing the bare walls and not feeling like I was at home. I talked to a friend that I made in Australia, and after A LOT of convincing, she took me to the student center to buy some decorations and print out pictures for my room. I was able to print out some of my favorite pictures of my friends and family, as well as a few memories I made in Sydney. I realized that just because you’re somewhere for a short amount of time, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t hold back in feeling comfortable in your room and that it is okay to decorate with pictures and colorful pillows and sparkly lights!
- Connect with your friends and family back home
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Being away from my friends and family was what really fueled my homesickness. During a pre-departure orientation session, one of the advisors told me that when she was in Australia, the time difference made her really homesick. I thought that I would be okay because I have worked with time differences before. Let me tell you one thing I learned while abroad: Time differences SUCK. In the beginning, I had difficulty finding the right time to talk to my friends and really struggled with it, mainly because Australia is 16 hours ahead. But after a lot of pretend mental math, and frequently checking my Boston clock, I was able to find a way to make it work. Calling family every day might take away from your study abroad experience, but find days and times that work well for you. For me, I found that it was easier for me to call home during my mornings because it was afternoon/evening in America. Connect with your friends and family as much as you can. That way, you can tell them all about your adventures while getting to know what’s going on back home.
- Find things you are familiar with
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Anywhere you go, regardless of how different things will seem to you, you will always find one thing or another that you are familiar with. For example, the supermarkets in Australia looked similar to supermarkets in Boston, even though there were things that I have never seen or had before. I was still able to find places to get bubble tea or really good Indian restaurants, things that I would get with my friends back home or was comfortable with. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything because I was still experiencing that same thing, just a bit differently.
- Don’t be afraid to try new things
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One thing I realized for myself was that the more homesick I felt, the less I wanted to do anything else. It will definitely take time for you to feel comfortable where you are but don’t be afraid to try new things. Try something from the supermarket that you would never find back home. Go on an adventure with your new friends. Go into the city and explore something new. You’re studying abroad in a new country with new experiences so it is important to use that opportunity and take advantage of it.
Studying abroad, or even going anywhere on your own for the first time can be daunting, and feeling homesick is absolutely normal. These are things I did when I was abroad to help me but there are so many things that you can do that will make you feel comfortable. All you have to know is that you got this!