7 Ways for Students to Handle Homesickness ...

Probably the most effective of the ways for college students to handle homesickness is simply to schedule trips home well in advance, so that you have something to focus on. Write down on your calendar when your vacations are, and keep track of how long it will be until you can go back to visit family and friends. Don’t obsess over going back home, but it can help to cure homesickness to just keep in mind that you are definitely going back to those same people.

A great way to deal with homesickness at college is to make new friends and form new relationships. That isn’t to say you need to forget about your friends from home, but if you can socialize with the people around you, your college experience will be a lot more enjoyable. Don’t seek to replace your old friends; the people you meet will never be the same as the ones back at home, so bear that in mind and enjoy your new friends for the enrichment they bring to your life.

Who says that you can’t call your mom when you are feeling a bit down and lonely? I’m sure your mom will want to hear from you, and I’m also sure you want to talk to her. Don’t call home too frequently – as you do need to sever some connection to home while at college – but the occasional phone call or Skype conversation can be a nice way to de-stress.

Try not to think of college as a temporary space that you can’t wait to escape. Think of college as home. In fact if you are thinking of college as an awful place that you don’t want to call home, you might want to reconsider whether you are ready to leave for college yet, and perhaps think about moving somewhere closer to home. Moving out is a huge step, especially if you are moving across the country or even to another continent; be ready to accept that college is your new home for the semester.

When I was thinking about how to deal with homesickness at college, it occurred to me that hobbies or other activities are helpful things to focus on instead of what you’re missing. Whether it’s playing on a sports team, joining the debating club or helping with a charitable organization, if you have something to occupy your time and take your mind off of going home, you’ll have a much nicer time at college.

Decorate your dorm room to remind you of home. That might mean sticking up your favorite posters, putting up photos of your friends or just using the same objects that you use when you are at home. You need to make your new space comfortable and pleasant if you are going to get over homesickness at college.

One of the great ways for college students to handle homesickness is to think about what college means for your future. You don’t have to go to Harvard or Yale to get a world-class education – by just attending college you are improving your career prospects greatly. Never again will you get to spend four years of your life learning, having fun and gaining new life experiences in the way that you can in the relatively safe environment of going to college. Enjoy it!

Homesickness can ruin your college experience. Dwelling on what you’re missing means you’re missing out on so many fabulous new experiences and opportunities that may never present themselves later in life. Do all you can to feel at home and you’ll look back on college as a great time in your life. Did you experience homesickness when you went to college or maybe you experience it every new semester? Please share your own tips on dealing with homesickness.