Tips for Homesick College Students

Help! I am a Homesick College Freshman

Let’s get right to the point – You’re a college student, in most cases a college freshman and this is your first time away from home for an extended period of time. Now of course you’ve been away from home before, a few days here or there, maybe even a week. But nothing like this where you are really, really away.

You didn’t think it would happen to you but it has…You’ve got the “Homesick College Freshman Blues”.

Is it Normal to Feel Homesick at College?

First of all, just so you know, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Almost ALL college freshmen feel this at some point while they are away. There are thousands of other college freshmen at other schools across the country, that are right now feeling the same way you do. So it’s not just you feeling this way.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, even full-grown adults sometimes feel this way. I once worked for a job that required me to travel the first few weeks I started working and this was the first time I had been a way for extended periods of time and at some points during that time I would get lonely.

Our homesick feeling is nothing more than a case of Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)! It is a normal reaction to loss of contact with parents, home or other close individuals. In your case, family and close friends back at home or away at the college they chose to attend. In my case, I missed my spouse and kids.

Overcoming the Homesick College Freshman Blues

Enough talking here are some tips that will help with feeling homesick:

Get Busy – Remember first and foremost, that you are there to get an education, let’s not lose sight of that. One of the best ways to take your mind off things that make you sad, is to get busy and stay busy. Make sure that you are not sitting around when you should be studying. If studying alone makes you sad, then join a study group. Check at your student services office or college’s website to see if one is available. If one is not, be bold, start your own.

Get Involved – Find yourself a hobby! Everybody is good at something and I bet your college has someone else there who shares similar interests as you. Ask around or check on-line to see if there is a group you can join. Making friends is a sure-fire way to overcome “Homesick College Freshman Blues”. You may even be surprised to find out that there may even be a group that meets regularly to discuss being homesick at college.

Get Around Town – Walk around campus, visit buildings and parts of campus you have yet to see. Sometimes just exploring new things and learning outside the classroom gets you motivated about school all over again! Try to get OFF CAMPUS and just explore the town your college is in if possible.

Get Some Exercise – Jog, aerobics, dance do something that gives you exercise, this will keep you healthy as well as help relieve any anxiety, stress, homesickness and help you sleep better. It will also bring you into contact with people and as I have already said, making friends will helps with homesickness.

Get In Touch – Write a letter to someone at home. Oh’ that’s right, young kids don’t write letters, they “TEXT”. Send a text message to family members, or even update your Facebook Page or log onto Twitter and tweet somebody. BTW, did I say that right?

This may not only make you feel closer to the people you miss, but it will help you collect your thoughts and sort through your emotions. Perhaps it may be a good idea for you to start keeping a daily journal. If you’re feeling lonely at the end of the day, sit down and write in your journal about the stuff you did that day.

Finally

Just think about how much better your life will be once you finish college and received your college degree. Not everybody gets into college and even fewer people graduate. Imagine what a big honor it’s going to be, when you walk across that stage. Don’t throw that future vision away by quitting. If you got in, you might as well finish it! You can do it!