Whether you have just moved out of home to begin your university adventure or you’ve decided to study abroad for a semester or two, homesickness is bound to rear its ugly head during this exciting time. So here are just a few tips on how to overcome homesickness for when you’re feeling a little down and missing home.
- Keeping Busy
Now I speak from experience here, there is nothing worse than missing your loved ones and spending your days cooped up inside, binge-watching everything on Netflix. You’ll spend your time wondering what everyone else is getting up to and thinking about all the things you may be missing out on. Instead you need to make the most of this new, exhilarating opportunity. Join a club or society, spend time exploring your new home with friends or even get yourself a little job to keep your schedule full. With a busy day-to-day life you’ll have less time to think about being homesick and more time to actually enjoy the perks of being away.
- Find a Balance
Catching up with those you left behind is a great way to overcome homesickness and will get rid of the nagging feeling you have that people have forgotten all about you. But too much of this can be a bad thing. Spending all your days catching up on your old life will mean you run the risk of ruining the chance of making your new life work.
- Have a Routine
It’s a pretty daunting prospect, looking at your empty calendar just wondering how you’re going to fill it, especially when you’re in an unfamiliar environment. So try to create a regular plan for each week. Whether this is spending all your free time studying for that exam you have coming up, or planning a weekend of tourist fun in your new home, having some structure to your life will make it easier to overcome your homesickness.
- Keep Yourself Healthy
It’s very tempting that when you’re feeling a little upset about missing home, that you reach for that family size bag of crisps and a tub of ice cream. But try to remember that what you put into your body will affect your mood. Maintaining your healthy eating habits and exercise routines will make it easier to stay positive about your new home and will help when you long for the comforts of home.
- Plan A Trip With a Friend From Home
Organising a trip with some friends from back home is also a perfect way to help overcome the homesickness. Getting your friends to come and stay with you is great in so many ways. It’ll give you something positive to aim for and you’ll get the chance to introduce them to your new life too.
Have any of these tips helped you overcome homesickness in the past? Or do you have another tip that you think would help your fellow students out? Either way we want you to let us know.
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