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October 10th, 2005

Some people relish the idea of leaving home to go to college, and embrace their newfound freedom with no transitional struggle at all. Many, however, must go through a bit of an adjustment period where they profoundly miss their family and friends back home and ache for familiar faces and places. Know that it’s perfectly normal to feel homesick, especially if you have chosen to attend college out of state or study abroad. Here we will explore some tips to helping you cope with homesickness.

One of the first things to remember is that feelings of homesickness are temporary for the vast majority of college students. All too soon you will be making new friends, having new experiences and become too busy with college and college-related activities to spend all your time thinking about home. In the meanwhile, you can comfort yourself by knowing you will have stories of new experiences to share with your friends and family when you do go back home for breaks, summers and holidays.

You can head off feelings of homesickness at the pass by keeping yourself occupied right off the bat. Join a fraternity, sorority, club or intramural sports team that can fill up your down time. Consider volunteering with an organization at your school or getting a part-time job. Whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to sit alone in your dorm and apartment. Make an effort to connect with your roommate and go surround yourself with people, whether it’s the library or a campus coffee shop, and take care not to isolate yourself.

Keep in touch with friends and family regularly—that’s what cell phones, e-mail and social network sites are for. Tell them how much you miss them and make plans to visit every now and then. Let them talk you through your feelings of homesickness and continue to be a support system to you from a distance in little ways. At the same time, make a concerted effort to be friendly and make new friends.

Another thing you can do when you miss home is speak with the Resident Assistant (RA) in your dorm or a campus counselor. It helps to be able to talk about the people and places you miss and maybe even get some good advice on how to cope.

Finally, realize that pushing through homesickness is a difficult yet essential part of becoming a mature individual. Mastering homesickness can improve your self-esteem and build your confidence for other big transitions in your life, including major career moves and even marriage.

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