Coping With Homesickness: What I Would Tell Any Homesick Freshman

When I was a freshman last year, I struggled with homesickness quite a bit during my first semester. I was not homesick during the very beginning of the year, but as the semester went on, I felt more and more homesick. However, by the middle of my second semester, I did not really experience homesickness anymore. By the end of my freshman year, UMass was where I felt home. 

Most college students experience homesickness to some degree during their freshman year. As a freshman who struggled with homesickness, here are some of the things that I’ve learned in the past year.

IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT YOU ENJOY INTO YOUR WEEKLY ROUTINE

One way I combatted homesickness was by implementing activities that I enjoyed into my weekly routine. Being involved with a club or sport that meets at least once a week is a great way to do this because you not only get to do something you enjoy, but you also get to meet more people. Another activity I personally enjoy that I implemented into my weekly routine is working out or doing pilates at the rec. If you are doing activities that you enjoy pretty consistently, you are more likely going to be enjoying your time and less likely to be feeling homesick.

eat lunch with friends as often as possible

Try to eat lunch with friends as often as possible throughout the week. Having lunch with a friend can serve as a really good break that you will look forward to in the middle of the school day. I know that this is not always possible because schedules can be hard to align with friends, but I would definitely try to find specific times on certain days of the week where you schedule a time to eat with friends. The more things you have during your day that you look forward to, the less likely you are going to be homesick because you will be enjoying your time at college. 

Avoid staying in your dorm room too much

I highly recommend pushing yourself to be out and about on campus and not stuck in your dorm. I know that it can be tempting to spend a lot of time in your dorm room, especially once the weather gets cold, or if you have a dorm room that is cozy. However, just being out on campus and being around other people is going to help you feel less isolated compared to if you spent a lot of time alone in your dorm room. 

Go home once in a while

I think going home once in a while can definitely help you feel less homesick. Going home at times can help you relax and have a nice break from everything that comes with being in college. However, I would not recommend going home too much, especially in the beginning of the school year, because you want to be adjusted to being at school. 

Call your family

Another great way to combat homesickness is to call your family. By calling your family, you are not going to feel as far away from them since you will know what is going on in their lives and they will know what is going on in your life. It can also be really helpful to talk to your family about any challenges you are facing as you are adjusting to college since they may have good insight and want the best for you. However, you do not want to be constantly on the phone with people from home. It is important to make sure you spend time with friends at college because that is how your friendships are going to get stronger. 

Overall, be patient with yourself and know that it does get better. Remember that feeling homesick is a completely normal feeling that most college students experience at some point. The first semester of college is usually the toughest when it comes to homesickness since you are adjusting to being in a completely new place. As you spend more time at college, you will very likely start to feel more at home and enjoy your time at college. 

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• college
• Experiences
• freshman
• life
• mental health