What do you do about homesickness?

I grew a pair.~

I simply viewed it as part of growing up and channeled my energy into acclimating to my new circumstances. Busying yourself with other things help keep your mind off your homesickness. And nothing says you can’t call home when you want to talk to someone.

unless, of course, they said not to call. ;)

@eponymoushipster

I knew someone was going to say “grow a pair”...man, how I loathe that phrase…

But I agree that doing other things keeps my mind off it, especially going to parties and such, which I have been doing plenty…it was just my parents coming by today that made it worse.

@DominicX please note my tilde.

@eponymoushipster Yeah, I know. I just forgot to include that phrase on my list of loathed phrases so I had to rant about it here. :)

I haven’t been homesick since I went to a gymnastic camp when I was ten. I think I remember just calling home a lot.

You have to start thinking of where you are now as home. Explore the area. Not just local, but take some road trips, see CA. Find some regular places you like to go: places to eat shop, play, etc.

@tinyfaery

lol…well, I’m only 30 miles south of where I live. But it still feels weird and I’m not quite used to it yet.

I stayed in Nigeria for six months, like you at first the experience was so new and different I was enthralled around two weeks into the trek I became so homesick that I found myself often sitting by myself outside crying. This lasted a couple of more weeks before I decided to get involved in learning the language and telling stories of my homelife. The more I talked about it the more it eased yet I still had a massive count down the last month prior to my departure.
Just remember it will pass and try to get involved in something positive and search out people who are from your home area.

@mponochie What language? Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa,Okrika?

I was intensely homesick a couple of times in my life when I was younger. It always hit me as a surprise, completely unexpected. It usually goes away after a couple of weeks on it’s own. My advice would be it is ok to be homesick. You are not only missing your family, but going through a big change, a new chapter in your life, new routine. What helped me was to call home when I was missing my parents, and make new friends in my new place.

I agree with J Leslie, and would add that it is normal to feel homesick, and hey, go ahead and cry if you want to. Sometimes releasing emotions in a healthy way makes us feel much better, it worked for me when I was 17 and away from home at college. Also, write a note to your folks and decide later if you want to mail it, or keep it to read later when you have so much going on that homesick is just a memory!

That’s a normal thing. You can alleviate this by calling your parents.
At the same time, knowing where you go to school, it sounds like you’re in a good place and in a good position to explore your newly found independence. Don’t let homesickness get in the way of moving forward.
This sort of thing passes.

An anti- homesickness vaccine. Works like a treat.

Hm, that’s a tough one. I was pretty homesick at the beginning of college, too. The funny thing is that after came back to school after Thanksgiving Break, I actually felt like I was coming “home,” in a way. That made me realize that I was no longer homesick. (Plus, I knew that Winter Break was only a month away!) Writing letters to friends at other colleges helped me a lot those first weeks.

I agree with, realizing this is normal and finding ways to keep busy and involved. I felt this way moving far away. Sometimes as an older adult I still feel it, like now, when my father is having a health issue and I would like to be there. Calling really helps and your family probably misses you just as much. I remember when my daughter returned home from college after her first few months, her younger brother picked her up and was spinning around with her…he was so happy to see her. That was amazing since they often argued. Just take one day at a time…and remember you have many people who care about you (your family) and are cheering you on.

You will get through it. Try not to think about it too much. It will pass when you get used to your new normal.

Aw, thanks for the answers, everyone.

Coming on here actually makes me feel at home, believe it or not. :)

For one, be glad it’s just college. I got homesick while in China (I live in NC) and it was intense. Like most of you it hit me by surprise big time and I couldn’t stop myself from getting emotional.
Best advice I can give is get Skype and talk to your family often, try and do things that you normally did at home (Xbox Live,Other Games,AIM,bowling,etc), concentrate on getting to know new friends and your school and always remember that your family isn’t too far away (not like your in a different country) and since it’s school you’ll be able to go back for breaks soon and throughout the year.

I am surprised, but as others have said time is always the best medicine. Keep focused, and busy yourself with other things and everything will work out fine.
I thought my son was going to feel this way at college, and he hasn’t, now thats starting to bother me.

Never in college but at camp I cried a Lot. When I was 12 and 13 at church camp or Girl Scout camp many of us cried for our mothers! For days! And we weren’t allowed to call them. )-:

@Aster I will never understand not letting kids call their parents, I think it is awful.

^^^^^^^^^^ I would not be surprised if I found out that she told them , “don’t let her call us.” I guess she wanted a break. So, it’s fine, I get it. She was so excited when I got home and had redecorated my bedroom, bless her soul. So nice, so beautiful.

@Aster I doubt it. You said yourself none of your friend could call either, it was probably a policy. I went to a camp once that did not let me call, and I was very upset about it. I had been to sleeps away before, but a different camp, and had always been allowed to call, and I was always fine. At this camp that did not let me call I luckily got sick and finally was allowed to talk to my parents when they called to say I had a fever. I began to cry on the phone that I was not allowed to call and my dad was outraged. He had no idea they would not let me call. He drove out to the camp, told them off, and took me home.

I am so happy for you that you got to call and go home. I would have loved that, at least with GS camp which I detested. Good to hear.