Recently a lot of things in my life have opened my eyes to see a new perspective I have never thought I would experience. With election disagreements and holiday arguments during a pandemic, there is more stress among families and students as a whole. School itself has already been stressful enough with finals but adding on not being able to have a stable home does not help. For students out there who are feeling lost and alone struggling trying to find a warm, safe place to live especially around the holidays, here are some important resources and programs to get in contact with.
1. Your Advisor
Do not feel embarrassed to reach out to your advisor. They are not only able to help with your academic career but your personal life as well and connect you to the best resources available among the university. If you are focused on where you are going to live, there is no way you will be able to focus as much in classes.
2. THE NCHE
The National Center for Homeless Education is a foundation to help those in education struggling to find a safe place to live. They can be contacted by phone, email or their website and have various programs available for students.
3. Your Friends
When all hope seems lost, get in touch with a friend. Even if it is temporary, having a place to stay over these cold months until a better situation comes along is a good start. Being able to have comfort from friends is always nice especially in times of stress.
Feeling alone can be scary, but it does not have to be. There can be a different way of seeing things even when things seem hopeless. With my friends and advisors, I didn’t feel as alone and scared finding myself back on my own during these holidays and it’s important that no one else does either.