Handling Homesickness

Feeling Homesick when you come to college is natural and quite common.  If you find that you are experiencing homesickness, the following strategies may be of help.

Admit you have it.  Much of what you know and rely on for support is back at home.  Feeling homesick is a natural response to this sense of loss.  It will take awhile to find other sources of support.

Talk about it.  You might wish to talk with an older sibling or friend who has gone away from home.  It takes strength to admit what is bothering you and to confront it.  There are other resources people on campus that you can talk to, such as, student advisors, House Fellows, House Governors or the Student Counseling Services.

Don't try to bury your feelings. Don't drink more, party more, eat more or have sex in an attempt to make your feelings go away.

Bring familiar items to your new location.  Having photos, plants, stuffed animals or other familiar objects from home help to give one a sense of continuity with home and help to ease the shock of being in the new environment.

Enjoy comforting activities.  If you enjoy exercising, watching movies, reading or other activities, keep doing them as they will provide a sense of consolation for you and keep you active.

Keep in touch with people from home.  There are many ways to communicate with others, writing letters, e-mail, texting, etc.  Let others know about your new experiences and activities.  Let them know that you would like to hear from them also.  You may want to avoid frequent telephoning.

Plan a date to go home.  If you plan a date to go home for a weekend, say, you will have to make arrangements for transporation, etc.  This may help you to avoid impulsive trips home or to maintain your focus on your goals on campus.

Examine your expectations.  We'd all like to be popular, well-dressed, well organized, tops acadmeically and super well-adjusted.  We're not!  No one is or could be.  Setting unrealistic goals and/or expecting yourself to achieve perfection are surefire ways of creating disappointments in yourself or others.

Recognize that the adjustment to college will take time.  Making the adjustment to college, as with making the adjustment to any new situation, will take time.  Give yourself the time to become more familiar with your new surroundings and routines.

Seek out new opportunities.  Doing something new can be scary.  However, new activities provide opportunities to meet new people and have experiences that you may not have been able to have prior to leaving home and coming to college.

Do something.  Don't wait for the feeling to go away or for others to approach you first.  Most everyone is experiencing similar feelings.  If you reach out to them, they will most likely respond positively.  Talk, get active, and invite others to explore this new environment with you.

Last Modified: Friday, April 03, 2009 12:35