Many college students across the country who leave their homes to live at the college campus of their choice, deal with the effects of homesickness. Television shows and movies tend to capture a false reality of what students “should” experience once away at college, and it is usually portrayed as them being in pure bliss. However, in reality, that may not be the case.
During my freshman year of college, I experienced a tremendous amount of homesickness to the point that it took a toll on my health. I hadn’t realized that I stopped eating, and that I had completely distanced myself from every social atmosphere there was on campus. One night, while I was getting ready for bed, I felt really disoriented and nauseous. After going to the hospital, I found out that my sugar was very low due to the fact that I had stopped eating, and had turned to caffeinated drinks as a daily meal replacement. After speaking with my primary care provider, I realized that not only was I undergoing the effects of pandemic induced anxiety, but I had been struggling with the enemy that many college students have to face: homesickness.
There are many different symptoms that correlate to homesickness such as anxiety, low self esteem, isolation, and a disturbed sleeping pattern. Regardless of the distance between your university and your hometown, there are a few ways that can help you manage homesickness while away at college. Finding a support group or a place of comfort on campus can help give you a sense of home. Viewing your college experience from a tourist point of view can also help alleviate your sense of homesickness and help you open your eyes to the finer things away from home, all while exploring new things in the process. Lastly, one of the most helpful ways to deal with homesickness in my opinion, is to visit and/or or stay connected with loved ones while away at college. We should all remember that our college years are a prime time for us to establish who we are as individuals; and although we may lose ourselves in the process, our loved ones are always there to help remind us why we’re at college in the first place!