How to Avoid Being Homesick in College

You may be homesick sometimes when you were a little child. But you definitely don't think that you will be homesick when you are already 18 years old, and you're in college!

But just imagine: you move in your dorm, and your friends act kinda funny. Some people listen to metal all the time, even when they're sleeping. Some girls up-stair like to do aerobic at 3 o'clock in the morning. That's when you will have homesick.
But don't worry, here are some tips for your homesickness:

Don't sit alone in your room and think about your homesickness: Find a club to join. Go out and have a walk, enjoy the fresh air. Play some sports. The you will feel a lot better

Just because you are at college does not mean that you have to totally let go of your previous life. Call home every-so-often. Even if you end up asking for money, your parents will still enjoy hearing from you. Keep in touch with your friends from high school. A great way to do this is writing letters, but you can't get any letters in your mailbox if you don't write any. I know that sometimes there is no time to write, but don't let that deter you. You could send a comic or article from the school paper that you found interesting or funny. Whatever you do, know that mail will definitely brighten your day.

Make an effort to find new friends. To have friends, you need to be a friend. In college there are so many types of people that you are bound to find some who are like you. High school might seem so long ago that you don't even remember what it was like to be in a new school having to make new friends. But you did it then, and you can do it again. You just have to get out there and do the same thing in college. Invite someone to eat lunch with you in the dining hall. Or, ask a couple of people in your math class if they want to get together to study for the next big test. It may sound simple, but you would be amazed at how few people do it. It is hard to put yourself out there like that, but it can pay off in the end.

Don't think about being homesick. Don't stay awake at night and think about how miserable you are. Fill your days so that by the time you get to bed, you sleep through the night with no problem. Also, even though many claim that, "naps are a college student's best friend" or "naps are a gift from God," don't fall into the trap of napping your day away. This will make you stay awake at night and that tends to make your mind wander to thoughts of loneliness, etc. Sleep is for the nighttime. Most of the activities on campus (including classes) happen during the day. If you sleep through them, you could end up at home either because you are miserable or you are forced to withdraw due to poor academic performance. If you pace yourself, set goals, and work hard, you can have enough time to do your homework, go to club meetings, and have time for fun in the evening, all without having to sacrifice much needed sleep.

Think positively! Force yourself to get into the mindset that everything is going to be great. Optimism is the key to success. College is supposed to be one of the best times in your life. This is where you jump-start your career and your life and make friends that will last a lifetime. Make an inspiration board to remind you of home and to keep you excited about college. Artists and writers use these often, but it is about time that the rest of the population got the message. On your board, integrate things from your old and new life: bumper stickers, cards, coupons for food at good places to eat near campus, notes people have sent you, your address and other important information, a schedule of movies that are playing locally, etc. The key is to make a happy spot on your wall that you can look at whenever you want.

Keep a daily journal so you can know how you felt at this very moment and how you eventually got over it. My nightly journal documents the things I do, chronicles my feelings, and occupies my time before I go to sleep. But if journals just aren't your thing, consider keeping a blog (or you can do both, like me).
Blogs can be just like journals and can serve as a way to keep in touch with friends, wherever they may be.

Realize home is different now too. At your old school, you're an alum, not a student. All your friends have moved on. You have changed, but so has everyone else. We all have to start over, and that is the fun part. No matter what path you take, you have the opportunity to mature and become a better person. You will be stronger and more independent. You will possess both book knowledge and common sense upon graduation. You will have the opportunity to find out what really matters to you. You will have good and bad experiences, and most importantly, you will be able to learn and grow from those experiences.

Do something you love during the middle of the day. This will give you something to look forward to instead of the daily monotony of going to class and studying. Go out to lunch or listen to your favorite music. Make a playlist of music for the next day's walk to class, so you can look forward to going to class. It doesn't matter what you do, just get out there and do it. And while you are at it, invite others to do something with you.

Most everyone has felt homesick at one time or another during their lives, but you have never heard of it killing anyone, have you? Your parents might have gone to college and experienced the same things you did. When they got married and moved out of their parents' house, they had to adjust to a new life. The same is true for your grandparents, friends, family members, and total strangers. Life is a series of adjustments to new settings. You may feel like it's never going to be completely right, but everyday you can make it better. As Mary said, "It's like I'm misplaced or something," and I responded, "And when something is misplaced, you find it. You have to find your place. That is the cool thing-while you are searching, you might just find yourself in the process."

 

How Can I Avoid Feeling Homesick?

Moving away from your native home can bring about a condition known as homesickness. Feeling homesick is a natural stage that many people go through when moving to a new city or environment. It affects people who leave behind family and friends to begin new lives elsewhere, as well as those who leave home to move to university or college. There a few simple steps that can be taken to ease the pain of feeling homesick.
Homesickness is more a state of mind than a physical condition. If, however, the feeling is allowed to persist, it can bring about symptoms such as anger and depression. The confusion and bewilderment felt in a new environment can leave a person longing for the simpler home life he or she once knew.

One of the best ways to avoid feeling homesick is to integrate yourself as fully as possible into your new way of life. If you have taken up new employment, attend social functions or join sports teams associated with your work community. Making new friends is the easiest way to combat the feeling of being homesick.
One of the best ways to meet people is through work. When working in a large city, you will probably find that a number of your co-workers are from different countries. They may be going through the same thing you are, and socializing after work hours is a great way to cope with feeling homesick.

Simply staying busy will enable you to keep your mind active so that it does not preoccupy itself with thoughts of home. If you have moved to a new city, take the time to get to know your new environment. By exploring the city and finding new places, you can lose any fear you have of the big city. Find a coffee shop that you can make your regular place, and people will soon get to know you and welcome you back.

Check the local newspapers for events in your area. If you have difficulty meeting people, then attending night classes in a subject you are interested in may help. If in a foreign country, make efforts to learn the language and immerse yourself in the new culture. Feeling homesick is sometimes linked to culture shock, and the more you immerse yourself in the new culture, the less homesick you should feel.

Feeling homesick is similar to feeling loss for the life you have left behind, but family and friends are no more than a phone call away. You can always keep in touch through regular mail or the Internet. Your family and friends will always be happy to hear from you and even happier if a visit to your new city is extended.

About The Cure Homesick: How To Cure The Homesickness Read about the prevention and the cure for homesickness. It can lead to depression and anxiety. Depression not only affects the person who is going through it, but also everyone around them, including friends, family, loved ones, spouses, and children.

Preventions techniques and treatment Leaving home or anticipation of leaving home both cause homesickness. Almost everyone has a strong connection with the place they call home and being separated from the familiar home environment' their parents' siblings' spouse' children' relatives' friends and pets can cause homesickness which are often followed by anxiety and depression which may range from mild to severe. It is believed that 10 to 20 percent fall into the severe homesick category which is coupled with depression and anxiety' which interferes with academic' social and sports function. This could lead to withdrawing from school and will require medical attention. There is no medication for mild homesickness but in present day sense there is a better understanding of the causes and effects of homesickness to a greater extent; preventive measures are available. This has now become a topic of discussion among academics and health authorities with a view to finding a solution to a global problem. For more than 100 years schools and camps have tried to comfort homesick kids and hoped that it will go away but research shows that it is better and more effective to think of ways of prevention than cure. One of the basic principles in homesickness is to accept that almost everyone goes through this emotion and that it is nothing unusual. Start trial periods of separation for your children as young as possible. Speak to them ahead of any separation' whether it is time with grandparents' camp' college or hospital stay even for a short period of time it to say to kids that it is normal and not strange to feel homesick. What parents or pediatricians' as the case may be' say beforehand matters and is very important to deal with homesickness. It is evident from such an exercise that the children cope better and that the intensity levels have been reduced by an average of 50 percent in the first year campers. Some of the preventive measures for homesickness is: • ?Involve children in making decisions to spend time away from home' so that children are more prepared for it. • ?Tell children that it is normal to feel homesick and that they can keep in touch with the family by writing letters home' speaking with others about how they feel' and to think of the good things that they are going to have. • ?Speak to the children about school' camp or hospital so that they know what to expect. • ?Where possible introduce the children to other campers' school mates or teachers ahead of time. • ?Encourage children to make friends in their new environment. • ?Don’t let the children realize that you are equally worried about them and do not tell them that you do not know what you will do without them as that would give them enough reason to worry about home and parents' and they will be preoccupied with thoughts of parents and home. • ?If the child is under medication make the counselors or the authorities aware so that they will be able to administer or supervise that medication is taken according to schedule. • ?Don’t tell them that you will pick them up if they do not like staying there. • ?Warn children not to do something bad in order to be sent home. Communication is a good channel to prevent homesickness.

How to Deal With Homesick

Whether you're away at school, you've just moved, or you're just away on a trip and you want to go home, there are many ways to cope with what really sometimes feels like a "sickness", and feel better over time. It is hard to be homesick, but you can get through it!

Steps:

1. Plan a short trip doing something you know you will enjoy. Perhaps just stay with a close relative or with friends you have known for a long time.
2. Keep the trip active and take things like a pack of cards to fill in the spare time. Being busy and keeping entertained is the number one way to avoid homesickness.
3. Understand the first night in a new place can often be a bit stressful. Everyone's tired from the journey and finding your way around and meeting new people is hard work. Expect this and remember things will seem much better in the morning.
4. Pack carefully, be prepared, and check with others that are going and what they are taking. If you have the right clothing and so on, you will feel more relaxed.
5. Make yourself aware of what's happening. Obviously, if you are staying with a relative, there won't be a written schedule, but ask about his or her plans and if invited to, suggest what you would like to do. If you’re away with a group, there may well be. Read it, but be flexible. It may change.
6. Keep in mind that for the first night, you can agree to text or email to say you arrived safely. A key cause of homesickness is worrying about the people at home. By reassuring them, you reassure yourself.
7. Telephone home when you are feeling positive, after going out doing something you enjoy. This convinces people at home you are fine and avoids you upsetting yourself on the phone. If you're away from home for longer periods of time, webcams are even more effective!
8. Do something about it if you start to feel homesick - and that doesn't include crying on your bed. Go find someone to talk to, have a bubble bath, read a book, watch TV, take a nap, go for a walk in your local park, anything that makes you feel better. The feeling will pass quickly when you distract yourself. Then you will realize that maybe things aren’t so bad after all!
9. Stop and think seriously about why you feel homesick or have done in the past. Was it the situation you traveled to you didn't like? Did you miss your family? Were you worrying about things at home? Work out exactly what caused the feelings, and then think how you can make it different on your next trip.
10. Agree that you should something go wrong, people at home should contact you immediately and ensure they have numbers, etc. Therefore, whenever you are not being contacted, you know things at home are OK and need not worry.
11. Eat and sleep as well as possible. When you're tired and hungry, things can seem a whole lot worse.
12. Take items that make you feel more at home: photographs, your own music or bed linen may help, or even a cuddly toy.
13. Be positive and homesickness can be beaten! If that were not the case, adults would all still live with their parents.

Tips

• Keep in mind that the very first night away might be particularly stressful. Just try to fight through it and you may find the next day gets better.
• If you have been homesick in the past, do not let it stop you staying away from home again. That was one trip. Think what you didn't like and how you could change it. Keep the next stay short and then go for it.
• Consider telling someone if you are really homesick, someone at the place with you preferably. A friend or a teacher will be willing to help make sure they know you are serious and let them know what they can do.
• Going home early is a last resort but if you are truly miserable and can see no way it could get better then ask to go home. Ring a parent and explain honestly how you feel.
• Talk to someone who is with you
• If you have just arrived at a new boarding school and you are feeling homesick don't keep it to yourself. Go and talk to another new student about it, you never know they may also be feeling homesick too. Talking about it for both of you DOES make it easier. This way, you can make a new friend as well. Once you make new friends, you are well on your way to getting settled in!

Warnings

• Do not ever ring home when you are feeling a bit down. You will feel worse probably mid-phone call and the people at home will realize this and worry about you. You will feel guilty for making them worry and hey presto you feel more homesick and upset. Agree to email, text or instant message to let everyone know you're OK instead.
• If you feel unsafe where you are, you have every right to demand to go home, unless you are very far away.

For many students the start of the university year means moving away from home for the first time. This can be both a daunting and exciting experience. The start of a whole new adventure. Some students may experience homesickness a few days...

Whether you're away at school, you've just moved, or you're just away on a trip and you want to go home, there are many ways to cope with what really sometimes feels like a "sickness", and feel better over time. It is hard to be homesick, but you can get through it!

I know it's tough, but you're doing really well so far, and  isn't anywhere near as long as it seems at the moment! I think your best bet is to try and keep yourself busy, and do things that you enjoy. Sometimes when I'm feeling homesick I go out and sightseeing and take loads and loads of photos so that I can show them to everyone when I get back home. If I'm feeling really sad I set myself a specific task, like I have to take photos of as many red things as possible, no matter how stupid they are - it really takes up lots of time trying to find different things!  Do you have MSN or Skype or something like that and a webcam? Sometimes it's nice to be able to talk and be able to see who you're talking to, because it does make it seem a bit more like you're actually there with them. If not, I've tried to recreate that sort of idea when I've been talking to my family or boyfriend on the phone by emailing them photos and then explaining what each of the photos are etc. Hope this helps, and I hope you feel better soon.