Being homesick is probably the worst part of leaving home to study abroad, or out of state. Because while you enjoy your newfound freedom and you’re loving your university life, sometimes you can’t help but miss home. Things just aren’t the same. The food tastes different, you don’t know where anything is, and most of all- you miss the family and friends you left behind. Feeling homesick is something you can’t avoid when leaving to study, or even to work, abroad or out of state. So here are a few ways to help you deal with feeling homesick when it gets too much to handle.
One great way to deal with homesickness is to call home often and to talk to the people you miss the most. Keep in touch with your family and friends, so you still feel like you’re at home even when you’re not. Calling home can serve as a great coping mechanism to brighten up your day, and to help ease the homesickness you might be feeling. Know that just because they aren’t there with you physically, doesn’t mean you’ve completely lost them. It might feel different compared to seeing them every day back at home, but it’s better than nothing.
Another great way to cope with feeling homesick is to explore your town, and to familiarise yourself with your new surroundings. One of the reasons why you might be feeling homesick may be because everything feels foreign to you and you don’t know where you are or what you’re doing most of the time. Get out, and get lost- literally. Find your way through your local streets, and visit all your local restaurants so you feel more comfortable and you feel more at home. Chances are, you’re going to be stuck here for a few years, whether it be for study or work, so it’s best if you feel at ease wherever you may be.
Another reason as to why you might be feeling homesick is because you feel isolated due to a lack of friends in your new setting. Feeling lonely can make you resent the place you’re staying in, and make you miss home even more so than you already do. I mean, you left all your friends back at home, and now you’re in a completely new place with nobody to turn to for comfort. Join clubs, and initiate a conversation with your colleagues and classmates. Having someone you can talk to when you’re bored, lonely or just having a rough time will help you feel more comfortable being where you are.
Another great solution to homesickness is by decorating your dorm/apartment to feel like home. Whether it be replicating your room from back home, or by placing little knick-knacks that remind you of your family around your dorm- doing this can make you feel more at ease in your new surroundings as you’ll feel like you never really left home, to begin with. Make your room feel cozy, and surround yourself with familiar things from home. This will help ease you into the new setting, and help you cope with your homesickness.
Get a new hobby, or binge-watch your favourite show on Netflix. Whatever it is, find yourself something to distract you from missing home! Doing this will help you forget about your homesickness even if it’s just for a short while. I mean, who doesn’t love a good distraction every once in a while?
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