Articles for students and families transitioning into higher education.
Moving away from home is a big deal. No matter how exciting it is to move away from home, it is natural to feel a bit homesick when your at college. This can affect you at any point while you are in college.
Look at our tips below to help you when you are missing home a bit.
Feeling homesick isn’t something to be ashamed of. It happens to most students at some point in their time away. You will only feel worse if you let yourself feel guilty about it.
A good cry is ok, give yourself the time to accept the situation. Then pick yourself up and ask your new friends if they would like to meet up and get a coffee.
When you are packing, remember to bring that favourite item from home, maybe it’s a recipe that your family cook together or bring something that reminds you of happy memories from home. A good item to bring with you are photos. You can put them up on your wall, and can bring great comfort when you are away from family and friends.
Spending time on your own inside, will only make you think of home more and can upset you more, as you think about what you miss.
Try to keep yourself busy, with new friends, going to a coffee shop, visiting the library, trying out new local walks with your friends, sign up to events happening in the college. These will all help you to take your mind off what you miss at home, and you may even enjoy doing these activities and meet new people.
Keeping in touch with family and friends through phone calls, whatsapp groups and zoom quizzes are all good ways of keeping in touch and feeling like you are still involved with home.
However, there is a balance! You do not want to be on your phone all the time so that it distracts you from making new connections and friendships now. So be mindful that this doesn’t happen otherwise you may end up missing home more.
When we are in unfamiliar surroundings, it can often make us feel more homesick, as everything feels so new.
It is a good idea, especially in those first few months of college in first year, to set aside time to explore your new town. Plan to go for walks, join a group in your local community, or there may be a college society that volunteers in the community that you could get involved in. All of these will help you to settle in more.
When you are feeling a bit down, it is important to try and get some exercise into your day. Even if it is only a walk, getting out in the fresh air will help your mental health. Even better, would be to join an outdoor activity, or even a gym class.
There is no weakness in asking for help. The move from school to college can be big, and even more so if you are moving out of your family home. So if you are feeling under pressure, please do seek help from your college. College staff are well used to helping students in all sorts of situations. Seeking mental health support through the counselling services can be a great way to talk through any problems you may have settling into college.
