10 Tips For When You're Feeling Homesick in College

Most any student moving out of state to go to school, or maybe just moving down the street into the dorms, will experience homesickness at one point or another. It can be unexpected and hard to deal with, but here are some remedies, from one college student to another:

1. Keep in touch.

Call, text, video chat. Especially if you are miles away, seeing a familiar face through a video chat can be extremely helpful. Try not to let this become a constant thing, though, because you do want to be able to experience your own independence.

2. Join a club or campus organization.

A lot of the students around you are going through the exact same thing you are. Being a part of something new and exciting will help keep your mind off home. Throughout the year, you will build a community that will feel like a home away from home.

3. If you are a freshman, attend all the “freshman” events.

The late night socials, the picnics, hikes. Not only will they have free food and the opportunity to network with professors in your field of study, but you will meet people and make new friends.

4. If you live close by, do not go home too often.

This will only make the homesickness worse, and it will become a habit when you are feeling sad or alone. Surround yourself with friends when you have the urge to drive home in the middle of the night. But also don’t forget to visit home when you absolutely need it.

5. Send letters back home.

Even if you still call or text, this will be something to look forward to sending and receiving in the mail. It will bring a sense of home to wherever you are staying.

6. If you have the time, look for a job.

Keeping busy really helps with distracting yourself. It will also allow you to become more independent, and be more inclined to enjoy living on your own.

7. Live with a friend.

The dorms are great during freshman year, but once you have a group of friends, see who would want to move in with you or who you could coexist best with. When you have your own space, and not just a dorm room, it makes college feel a bit more like home.

8. Explore the town or surrounding area you are in.

Go on an adventure, and fall in love with the scenery around you.

9. Have your family drive or fly out to visit.

Most schools have a family weekend sometime during the year, which would be a great time for them to visit. Give them a tour or take them to a sporting or performing arts event. It would be a great time to catch up.

10. Hang up some pictures.

Not only of your family back home, but of you and your friends at college. It will remind you of home, but also of the new memories you are making in the present.