For many young people, moving to a new city or even country for their education is their first step towards independence, which can be as thrilling as it is nerve-wracking.
Whether you’re moving to a nearby city or headed to a brand-new country, this is likely your first time away from the comfort and familiarity of home, and the fear of homesickness might be looming. Rest assured that plenty of students feel homesick, especially within the first few months of their education when the excitement starts to wear off. If you’re worried about feeling homesick next semester, or if you’re at school right now and struggling with homesickness, read on for some tips on how to cope.
- FaceTime Friends and Family
Keeping in touch with loved ones back home can help you feel more connected to them. Try scheduling weekly phone dates where you can update each other on what’s happening in your lives. Some of the anxiety around homesickness stems from a fear that you might slip out of your friends’ lives if too much time passes without contact. A regular phone call can help ease some of that anxiety by keeping you involved in what’s going on back home. On the other hand, telling your friends and family what’s happening to you can help them feel closer to you.
2. Order or Cook a Meal that Reminds You of Home
Our sense of smell is the strongest sense associated with memory. Your olfactory nerve (the major nerve involved in the perception of scents) is located near the hippocampus, the brain structure most heavily involved with memory. If you’re feeling particularly homesick, cooking yourself a familiar meal can trigger a sense of nostalgia. If you can’t find all the ingredients or aren’t sure how to make something, you can always order in or, even better, take yourself out for dinner.
3. Feel Your Feelings
There’s nothing wrong with feeling homesick. In fact, it’s quite normal. Trying to ignore it or push it away won’t always help. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is just to allow yourself to feel, even if the feeling is ‘bad’. Acknowledge your feelings and give yourself permission to let them run their course. You might feel better if you cry it out or journal about how homesickness is affecting you.
4. Walk
When we’re feeling down, regardless of the reason, we can sometimes get stuck in a cycle of rumination. If you’re missing home and finding it hard to think about anything else, taking a walk to clear your head might help. As you walk, take notice of your surroundings. Use a different route or go a block further than you normally go. This will give your brain something else to focus on, distracting you and preventing you from thinking about home.
5. Keep Mementos
Keeping things nearby to remind yourself of home might help ease some homesickness. A stuffed animal, a favourite blanket or pictures hanging on the wall can help your new space feel more familiar. When you start to feel homesick, you’ll have something you can turn to so home won’t feel so far away.
6. Pamper Yourself
How would you cheer up a friend if they were feeling down? You might bring them a small present, buy them lunch, or suggest an afternoon of shopping or a spa day. Self-care is very important, especially during major transitional periods like university, so treat yourself with as much care and compassion as you would treat a friend. If homesickness has been getting to you, take a day off and treat yourself a little bit. You can spend the day by yourself or ask new friends to join if you’d rather have some company. Chances are that if you’re on a university campus you’re not the only one feeling the strain from being far from home.
7. Look For New Favourites
Did you have a favourite coffee shop back home? Or a go-to spot for sushi? Familiar walking routes? Your old favourites might not be around anymore, but you’re in a brand-new place that’s full of new favourites just waiting to be discovered. Fill your spare time by tracking them down.
8. Sweat It Out
A rush of endorphins after a killer workout might be just what you need to start feeling better. Many university campuses have gyms or swimming pools for students to use. If it’s a nice day, head to a local park or go for a run.
9. Put The Phone Down
Mementos can help you feel connected to home, but constantly seeing what your friends and family are up to without you can make you feel far away and more homesick. If the daily updates are making you feel worse, stay off social media. You can delete the apps from your phone or head out for a walk and leave your phone at home.
10. Make Your New Home ‘Homey’
Maybe the reason you feel homesick is that you don’t feel 100% comfortable in your new surroundings. Add some ‘homeyness’ to your new space by filling it with things that reflect your personality and taste. If you’re living in a dorm there’s only so much you can do, but bedding, wall hangings and a few small additions here and there can go a long way.
