10 Tips to Deal With Homesickness in College

So we all know that college is supposed to be the best time of our lives, right? But sometimes we all crave a little bit of home – even if we’d never admit it to our parents. Being homesick your first few weeks, or even semester of college is normal. Here are 10 tips to deal with homesickness in college.

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1. Turn your friends from home into pen pals.

It seems a little juvenile, but if you and a close friend ended up at different colleges, letters can lessen the distance and remind you of home. You all can talk about new experiences, how much you miss each other, fun you all had in the past few weeks, whatever you want! Two ways to make it extra fun; use different colored pens/ markers to emphasize certain things, and instead of letters you all could mail a notebook back and forth (also a good way to add multiple friends in on the fun!).

2. Skype.

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.jsPretty simple, pretty self-explanatory, but you’d be surprised how many people neglect to think of something so simple. If you miss your friends or your family, set up a Skype date for once every couple weeks! I do it often, and it helps make the distance between school and home feel a lot smaller. 3. Get out of your room.

It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut in college. Wake up, go to class, grab lunch, go to class, grab dinner, do school work, go to bed. The best thing you can do for yourself is switch it up sometimes – even if switching it up has been planned out ahead of time. Pick a new place to eat, do all your work in advance so you can enjoy your weekend without worrying, or even just doing school stuff outside should do the trick. 4. Make an effort to make new friends.

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Whether you go to college with half of your high school, or you went to the other side of the country where you don’t know anyone, make some changes to your friend group. High school friendships don’t always last, so be prepared! Don’t cut off friendships that are still good for everyone involved, but meet some new people. You find out amazing things about yourself in college – start ASAP!

5. Pick up a new hobby.

In college, you might find yourself with a lot more downtime. I recommend finding a new hobby to occupy your mind instead of thinking back to high school and home and how much you miss people and how things used to be. Easy things to do from your dorm room: crafting (especially helpful if you’re considering Greek Life), getting fit, blogging, vlogging, and really anything else you can think of. Almost every hobby is a good hobby as long as you’re passionate about it!

6. Call people.

            If you have an aversion to phone calls, I get it, I do to. Calling people is an unfortunate part of adult life, so practice on people you know. I know for a fact that parents love getting phone calls just to chat every once in a while – it might even make them want to surprise you with a package or some cash! (But don’t quote me on that.)

7. Get involved on and off campus.

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I know I said earlier that you should try to leave your room, but you should also try to find a group or activity that you’re passionate about. The activities fair, which I think every college has, is a great way to explore your options. Getting involved in clubs on campus, or off, also helps you make friends that you already share at least one interest with.

8. Decorate your dorm room.

            Your dorm room is a place where you’ll spend a lot of your time. Surrounding yourself with things from home – pictures, artwork, etc. – is a great way to help you keep your sanity. Personally, I hang up as many photos and handmade artwork as possible so I can make it feel like my room at home. Yes, you’re starting a new chapter of your life. But that doesn’t mean you’re being forced to start from scratch with empty walls that feel like an insane asylum.

9. Pay a visit back home.

            If you’re able to, I recommend visiting home at least every month or two. It helps you appreciate your family and your freedom at the same time. If you don’t want to go home, try visiting a friend or inviting people to come visit you. Life is a lot more fun when you have people to share your experiences with.

10. Plan for it ahead of time.

            Treat homesickness like something that will happen, not something that might. Be prepared to miss home – more people do than you might think. Just because you’re not talking about it with your friends doesn’t mean that you all don’t miss some part of home. The tips on this list are all good starting points, but don’t be afraid to try something else that you feel fits you better.