It’s that time of year folks… the seasons are changing and with them, so are our lives (bear with me). We are five weeks into the semester and the excitement of the beginning of the year is slowly fading away as we are getting into our first little “trough.” Translation: Things are getting real. Tests, projects, meetings, assignments, essays… it’s all happening at once. This is a time where many of us begin to miss the comfort of our homes, where life was simple and we didn’t have a million and one things to do. We have all been there and we still experience homesickness, but there are ways to combat it- you are not alone!
- Get productive: Easier said than done, right? If you feel you are struggling to meet deadlines and balancing all of your classes, it can be overwhelming and easy to want to throw in the towel- but don’t. Set a schedule for yourself and plan your weeks in advance. Try spreading out homework throughout the week (Ex. “Half of the chapter reading on Tuesday, other half on Wednesday”), include assignment due dates, and also study times. Outside of academics, plan time for yourself. Write in things like when you plan on having dinner with friends, getting coffee, or even taking a nap. Sometimes it feels more manageable to have a list of everything you have to do and makes you feel ready to face the week. This may help the time pass faster until the next time you can visit home and you get a LOT done in the time being. Win-win!
- Find time for yourself: I mentioned this before, but this should not be underestimated. It is easy to be consumed by the due dates and day-to-day mundane tasks that you forget to take time to do the things you truly like doing. Prioritizing time to pay attention to yourself is key to managing stress and feelings that lead you to being overcome with homesickness. One way to accomplish this would be to choose three activities or times a week where you do something just for yourself. Maybe this will be going to the gym, or watching a movie on Netflix, or even not setting an alarm on the weekend. Whatever it is, make the time. You are worth it.
- Talk to someone: Often homesickness isn’t something people want to bring up in a casual conversation, but it should be known that it is a completely normal and valid emotion. Chances are, everyone knows at least one person who is experiencing the same feeling. Reach out to your close friends to talk about it; having someone who just “gets it” could go a long way. In addition to reaching out to your friend group, remember there are resources all throughout campus, including your Residential Advisor and all of us at the Peer Jacks program, that are more than willing to just listen and help out as much as possible. We all understand what it feels like to miss home, so reach out and you will find that network of support.
Destenee M.