College is a huge change for anyone, no matter who you are. Whether you are out-of-state or moved 20 minutes away from home to go to college, it can still take a toll on you. From new experiences to trying to figure out the whole independence thing while keeping your grades up, it can be easy to miss home. Homesickness is a psychological reaction to being taken away from home and other experiences you associate with being home. It’s completely normal and is in no way something to be ashamed of. I have been there and have had a couple of days where I almost cried because the only thing I wanted to do was go home. Luckily, I’ve compiled a list to help treat your homesickness and hopefully encourage you to stay positive when you’re missing your safe place.
Stay Busy
When I say to stay busy, I don’t mean overload yourself and become overwhelmed by responsibilities. I simply mean to distract yourself and focus on the things you have control over. Focus your energy on friends, work, school, and other activities you enjoy being involved in. Staying distracted keeps your mind from obsessing over missing your home.
Surround Yourself With Friends
Spending time with friends can instantly boost your mood and keep you positive about the good things in your college environment. Social interaction is so important, and isolating yourself from others when you feel homesick is not ideal. Isolation can cause you to dwell on the social interactions you had at home that you miss so dearly, while also missing out on the amazing opportunities you have with your new social surroundings.
Start a New Hobby
Starting a new hobby can be exciting and time-consuming (but in a good way). Spending time on new activities and experiences can keep you encouraged about being alone and independent. Boosting your confidence in yourself with personal hobbies can be super beneficial in helping you realize you don’t need to be home to be happy.
Talk About It
Whether you voice your struggles to a mental health professional or a trusted individual, it’s important to talk about your feelings. Keeping your issues about homesickness inside can create more issues such as anxiety or cause other mental health setbacks. It is totally normal to miss home and be upset about not being there anymore, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Don’t Always Call Home
I know it might seem like the right thing to do is call home when you miss it, but it can also be unhelpful. It can enable your feelings about missing home and give you a short, small fix to your homesickness that won’t last. Constantly calling your friends or relatives at home won’t help your independence or your ability to slightly detach from your feelings about home. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should never call home. I’m just saying you shouldn’t excessively call whenever you get the urge. I know it sounds harsh, but it will help, I promise.
Hopefully these tips help with your homesickness and make being away a little bit easier. Hang in there — it’s all going to be okay, and remember that home will always be there when you need it.