Once the excitement of moving to a new city or country has worn off and you’re drowning under heaps of assignments and dirty dishes, it’s easy to feel homesick. This term is probably one of the worst for feeling homesick as UK travel restrictions can make it impossible to return home for the weekend if you’re missing your family. International students often struggle with homesickness the most, given the distance and inconvenience of time zones.
Having moved abroad two years ago, the excitement of living in another city quickly faded to missing the comforts of back home. I remember missing the strangest things- a particular sandwich, the bus I took to school everyday. Everytime something bad happened, even something as minor as being late for class or all the lunch options looking grim, I would immediately wish I was back home.
Having moved abroad two years ago, the excitement of living in another city quickly faded to missing the comforts of home. I remember missing the strangest things- a particular sandwich, the bus I took to school everyday. Everytime something bad happened, even something as minor as being late for class or the lunch options looking grim, I would immediately wish I was back home.If you’re feeling like this, take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. Homesickness doesn’t care how far away from home you are, so you can guarantee that most people at university are feeling the same. To remember those back home, you could set up a time each week to Skype or put some photos up of the people you left behind. I have a random album on my phone with photos from my home country and I really enjoy looking at them when I feel homesick. If you’re able to see them soon, you could make a countdown of the days till you’re able to see each other again. If you’ve got a wall calendar, I find it really satisfying crossing off each day.
While it’s important to stay in touch with those back home, you’ll often feel better if you take the time to socialise with people at university. I often found that I felt more homesick when I was alone, and people were interested in learning more about my culture, even if it meant them trying to copy my accent. If you can find the snacks you would eat back home, introduce them to your flatmates! I remember being really nervous about approaching people and striking up conversations when I moved abroad, but it’s important to remember that people are nicer than you think. You can often get people talking with a simple compliment.
I hope, if you’re reading this alone in your room, you use this as motivation to strike up a conversation with one of your flat or coursemates. You never know who your next friend might be!