Going away to college, no matter how far or close to home you are, the first few weeks may be a time of home sickness, when you just aren’t feeling like yourself, and when you’re longing for home. Don’t give up on college yet. You can beat it.
To begin with, before you even move in, you should start thinking about what items you’d like to have with you. Pictures of family and friends are a must; I have yet to see a college student that doesn’t have pictures of friends around. You can put the pictures in frames and place them around your room in easy to see areas, or you can put them on your wall. If you have anything special from graduation, such as a gift given to you by a group of friends, or something signed, bring that as well. There are no limits to where you can place items such as these. Also, don’t forget pictures of the beloved family pet. You’ll find you’ll start to miss them as well.
Other special items such as yearbooks, CD’s and video tapes can help as well. A list of family and friends email addresses and phone numbers will help you feel closer to them as you always have a way to contact those who you are close to. Websites such as Myspace offer a way for people to keep in touch. So if you don’t have all of friends contact information, don’t forget you can find many friends there or on Facebook.
After you are moved in, take the time to decorate your dorm room and make it home. It is your home away from home, so make it a place where you are comfortable. However, the joy here is you can now make it your own home away from home. Don’t let it stop you from being creative.
Don’t forget it’s important to go out and make friends! Don’t stay in the room the entire time hiding because you’re afraid to meet new people, college is a time where you are supposed to meet them. Have fun. Go to a few events offered during the first weekend you are there, say hi to the person you see on your floor a lot that you keep bumping into. Little contact like that can help you feel more involved with the campus community, and you won’t feel so alone.
Don’t forget, your RA is trained to make your stay at college a enjoyable one. They are there to help promote a comfortable atmosphere for everyone. Get to know them, whenever you have a problem; ask them if you can talk for a few minutes. They might know of someone who is going through the same thing. They can introduce you two and already, you’ll have a new friendship. If you are not quite comfortable talking to your RA, ask them about campus mental health facilities. You can go and talk to a counselor who can offer you tips on getting over homesickness. Sometimes, support groups are run during the first semester or so to help people relax and become familiar with the things and people on campus without feeling the need to go home.
And remember, it is ok to call home. If you are missing home, give them a call. I’m sure they will be happy to hear from you, even if it’s just to hear about what you had for dinner that day. Don’t forget however to share your successes with home as well. Just talking about a new person you met, or a new thing you tried will help you feel calmer in your environment. You’ll realize things aren’t so bad where you are, and you’ll become less attached to home.
College is a scary thing, and it’s alright to be scared, but if being homesick leads to becoming depressed or anxious, it is best to talk to a counselor on campus. Don’t wait before it’s too late.
