To Call or Not to Call: 5 Tips For Dealing With Homesickness

It’s the middle of semester and you just got your first bad grade of the year. You’re upset and convinced that the only remedy is to run home and eat some of your mom’s fresh blueberry pie.

The problem? Home is 200 miles away and your parents don’t have time to drop everything and rush to your aid. So instead, you open up that pint of Ben & Jerry’s in your freezer and eat your feelings away.

Although this is one solution to the problem, there is a way to be proactive against these moments of homesickness; follow these easy 5 steps on getting yourself out of that homesickness slump and back on your feet.

1. Fix up that dorm room!

First, you should focus on where you will be spending most of your days at college: your dorm.

Make it cozy by filling your wall with photos, frames and memorabilia from home, high school or family vacations.

Cover your bed in pillows from home and bring your baby blanket if necessary.

Bring the set of DVD’s that bring you comfort when you’re feeling down or maybe pack your mom’s recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

By having all of these items on hand, you can have a “cuddle sesh” anytime you feel lonely.

2. Get involved on campus

You won’t be feeling lonely if you get involved with organizations on campus! Clubs and organizations are the perfect distractions to keep busy and stop thinking about the distance between you and your family. You will get a chance to leave the dorm, meet new people and make new friends.

The friends you make within these organizations can also be great listeners, especially when you are feeling homesick. It helps to talk to others who are also experiencing the same things you are going through; you’re not the only one who wants to run away now and then.

3. Keep in touch

The issue of how often you should call your family varies from student-to-student. This is a personal decision, but there are some who believe calling once a week is best because it keeps one at a healthy distance without completely losing touch with loved ones.

However, there are a number of students who choose to call their parents every day. The benefit of keeping close is being aware of what is going on in the lives of your loved ones, but just know, calling your family nonstop will only keep them on your brain. By focusing on the issues surrounding your family, you are less inclined to focus on making friends and branching out.

4. Bring home to you!

What about when you realize the cafeteria is serving the same pre-packaged foods every day?

There will be no period in your life when you appreciate your mother’s cooking more, so bring some of it with you!

Get out some Tupperware and fill it with homemade cookies, breads, sauces or whatever you like. Take some of that iced tea that’s always freshly prepared in your kitchen and pour it into a jug for a taste of home whenever you want.

5. Don’t let being away from home get you down

It may sound cliché, but the truth is, it will get easier to be away from home the longer you are at college. Once you reach sophomore year, you will be comfortable with the fact that for the time being, you will be separated from your family, but they will still be there when you do come home.

Realize that your family wants you to enjoy being at school and getting an education.

They are proud to see you becoming an independent adult and you shouldn’t give them any reason to think you aren’t. Keep your family in your heart and on your mind, but also realize that college is a time for new experiences and meeting lots of new people so be open to everything!