You’ve just started your first year of college. Your feelings are all over the place – excited, nervous, scared, worried – but there is something in the back of your mind that you can’t quite put your finger on. That feeling is homesickness. Everyone experiences it at some point in their college career, no matter how ready they are to escape their overbearing parents, or how excited they are to finally get out into the world on their own. You’re not alone. Since everyone is familiar with this feeling, there are lots of unique and fun ways to dealing with it. Here are some “Dos and Don’ts” of dealing with your homesickness in your first weeks of school.
Don’t ignore your homesickness.
“If you experience homesickness and try to ignore it, it’ll just get worse,” says freshman Taylor. “The best thing to do is to embrace it and find ways to cope.”
Do meet up with people from your hometown to hang out.
Talking with them about things you both miss from home can make you miss it less. Just hanging out with someone who knows what you’re going through, and who can remind you of home, is a good way to get over your homesickness.
Don’t let your homesickness keep you from going out.
If you sit at home and wallow in your sadness, you’re only going to feel worse. The best thing to do is to get out of the house, and do something.
Do make new friends as best you can.
The best way to cope with homesickness is by going out with friends and having fun. Creating a “new family” of friends is a sure-fire way to make homesickness go away.
Don’t wish your time at college away.
It’s easy to countdown the days until you get to return home, but this can be dangerous. You may find yourself not enjoying every day at college because you’re wishing you could be home. It’s one thing to be excited for your next visit home, but it’s another to not cherish your time at college. An occasional trip home is good, but don’t make it every weekend.
Do stay busy.
“Staying busy can really help your homesickness go away,” says freshman Elizabeth. If you stay busy with work, school, or friends, you won’t think about home as much, and therefore you won’t miss it.
Don’t forget to call home!
This is the most important thing to remember. Calling your parents may seem like a given, but just hearing your parent’s voices, or talking to them about something that happened at home can turn your whole day around.
Do remember to have a good time.
These are really the most important years of your life. You are finding out who you are and what you’re going to do with the rest of your life. While it’s imperative to get good grades and study, it’s also important to have fun and let loose.
These tips should help you get through your first year of college, and hopefully the rest of your life. It is natural to feel homesick, and everyone misses their mom once in awhile, but you can’t let it control your life. No one wants to live at home for the rest of your life, so now is the best time to leave the nest and learn how to cope with being on your own.
Photo credit: https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/blog/healthy-habits/conquering-your-homesickness