How do I deal with homesickness?

Hi Jasmine! First off, congrats on getting into college! I personally stayed pretty close to home for college, but I did do one month of study abroad in London, and I was absolutely consumed with homesickness the first few days. I distinctly remember sitting on my bathroom floor on the second day, googling "how to get over homesickness"-I felt like I had made a huge mistake. But guess what? 30 days later, when it was time to fly back home, I would have given anything to stay longer. You see, you can FaceTime your family and send each other group texts and pictures to stay in touch, but what will really cure your homesickness is making your new "family" at college. Reach out to the people in your dorm and your classmates and try to make friends! Join a bunch of clubs and try to find your niche! If your college is in a particularly exciting environment (the city, a historical town, beachside, in the woods, etc.) spend your weekends exploring your surroundings! Take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way! And remember: Everyone around you is going through the same thing, and they're all dealing with homesickness to an extent. So don't feel like you're all alone in dealing with this.

I wish you the best of luck in college, and hope you settle in wonderfully. :)

Homesickness is something that is a little easier to handle today. With technology we can connect in ways we were unable to in the past. Video chats are a great way to see your family from a distance and help bridge that gap of closeness. Set a schedule to spend time virtually or through phone calls with your family to help in the beginning. As you go through college, you will probably see that homesickness subside with new friends. It will be exciting time that you will have to find balance in home life and your college life.

Hi Jasmine,

Congrats on getting into college!!! This was a major decision for me when I was choosing which school I should attend. I chose to commute to school because I knew I would have experience home sick while I was in school. One way to help home sick is to utilize social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype and you can Facetime. I know it's not the same as being home but this can give you to be almost close to home. I hope this works out for you.

Serge

Greetings Jasmine,

I feel your pain. I can acutely remember the almost soul crushing feeling of missing home during my Freshman year. I remember that hours I spent locked my dorm room craving the comfort of all things familiar, especially home cooked meals (cafeteria food bleh!). Freshman blues really are the worst but, what I do know is that you aren't alone. Your fellow Freshman will be experiencing the same sense of nostalgic loss and crave creature comforts just like you. The good news is that the more you get out there, the less you feel homesick.

I found that by joining clubs and activities, hanging out with new friends, and yes, even studying made it easier. The more I found to do, the less I thought about home. I'll be honest. Change is hard. First year of college is one of the toughest changes you will encounter in your life. But, there is hope. When you get to the campus, take a look at what clubs, activities and events are offered. Then, choose or two that you are most interested in and join. Be brave and chat up your fellow freshman, especially your roommate if you have one (or two). Get to know these new people that likely feel just as you do. And don't be afraid to call home now and again when you just need a familiar voice. Soon enough, you will find that college feels more like home than home.

Congratulations and Best Wishes!

--Wendi