I came into college terrified, it seemed, of everything—of not making any friends, of not being smart enough for my classes, of disconnecting from my friends at home. The only thing I was completely sure of was that I wouldn’t be homesick. I’ve spent plenty of time away from home, in summer camps when I was younger and, more recently, in a study abroad program. I expected the transition from living at home to living at Kenyon to be relatively easy in that regard. While I’ve thankfully had a wonderful college experience so far that has proved all of my previous fears pretty much unfounded, I have been surprised at how often I’ve found myself missing home.
Last week, I had a simply awful day. It was one of those days that starts out by waking up with only five minutes to be ready and out the door and that somehow finds little ways to continue to get worse with each passing hour. By the end of the day, I was ready to curl up in bed with my cat or get food with my best friend—unfortunately, both of them were miles away. Homesickness ended up only making my day worse, and I found myself strangely unsure of how to make myself feel better away from home.
Lots of freshmen don’t anticipate being homesick, but with orientation settling down, the school year firmly in place, and Thanksgiving Break still months away, it’s prime time to be missing home even a little. While I’m certainly not an expert, these are a few things I’ve found that help me keep going when the going gets tough:
1. It’s Okay to Be Alone
Spending time alone in my dorm, at least for me, can sometimes make me feel a little guilty—I could be spending that time bonding with people on my hall, hanging out with friends, or meeting new ones. However, alone time is how I recharge, and recharging is especially important on a bad day. Even if you’re especially extroverted, spending even just a half-hour curled up in bed with some Netflix—I recommend “Food Network Star,” thankfully just added earlier this month – and some snacks or napping can help tremendously. Personally, I like to make myself a cup of tea and curl up in some blankets with a book or some good music.
2. Distract Yourself through Work
As weird as it sounds, working on homework can actually make me feel better—getting a head start on a paper or assignment makes me feel accomplished and less overwhelmed and more like I have my life together. Cleaning my room or doing laundry, while not ordinarily things that I particularly enjoy, can have the same effect. Distracting yourself from negative thoughts or feelings through work can be beneficial—but it doesn’t have to be homework or chores; drawing or writing can be very therapeutic.
3. Do Something that Reminds You of Home
I was extremely homesick towards the beginning of my study abroad program; this was made worse by the fact that program rules dictated that we could only spend an hour a week talking with family and friends through e-mail. While calling or Skyping family or friends from home is an excellent idea and can alleviate homesickness and stress, sometimes schedules don’t exactly line up and it isn’t always a possibility. In that case, doing something that reminds you of home can be really calming. At home, I like to go for walks along my city’s trails; at Kenyon, I’ve found it really relaxing to just explore without a destination in mind…
4. Go Outside
Which brings me to my next point—just being outside does a lot for your overall mental state. Now that it’s finally beginning to cool down and turn into glorious sweater weather, this is especially true. Kenyon has amazing outdoor resources: the BFEC has trails that are both wooded and have amazing views of the Kokosing, the Gap Trail is beautiful and very close, and the entire campus is both stunning and thankfully filled with Adirondack chairs and benches to enjoy the day or do some reading in.
5. Bookstore Ice Cream/Wiggins/The Cove
Good food can always help to soften the blow of a bad day, and luckily at Kenyon, we’re surrounded by it! While I’ve only been on campus for a month, I’ve already had my fair share of the bookstore ice cream. Call up some friends and ask them to come with—I can almost guarantee they won’t say no.
Most importantly, remember that all bad days end, and that everything will be okay! You are not alone, and you are most certainly capable of conquering everything in your way!
Image Credit: Bliggs, Gifs Gallery, Knox County Ohio, Bym Agency