You may go off to college thinking you’ll never get homesick. You may tell your friends and family, “Oh, I’ll be fine, I’m pretty independent anyway,” like I did. You may think your not close enough to your family or friends back home that you won’t ever miss them even in the slightest bit. However, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself this, it is going to happen one day or another, and you will have to figure out how to deal with this feeling.
We all go through a feeling of homesickness at some point while being away at school, and it’s up to you how you want to go about coping with it. During my times of homesickness while at college, I have found a few things that help cheer me up and make this feeling go away.
Make plans with friends
This may have been obvious, but I know when I am feeling sad, the best way to get my mind off of things is to make plans with my close friends here at school. Whether it’s just inviting them to hang out in my dorm, taking a walk around campus, going to the gym or maybe a drive to get some food, anything to keep your mind off of missing home will help.
Watch your favorite Netflix show
One of my favorite shows to watch when I am homesick is Friends, solely because it always makes me laugh no matter how sad I may be. Watching a show you love can help distract your mind from missing home and bring a smile to your face.
Call the person you’re missing
Maybe you are homesick because you’re missing a certain someone like a parent, a sibling or a friend. Pick up the phone and give them a call or facetime them and talk. You may not be able to physically be with them but hearing their voice and hearing about their day may just do the trick to get you out of the funk of being homesick.
Go home for a weekend
If you are really homesick and a close enough distance from home, going home for a weekend is always an option. It is never a bad thing to take a weekend off from college and go home to spend time with family. Never hesitate to ask to get picked up for a weekend, your family is always happy to see you!