How to Beat Homesickness While in College

You probably thought going to an out-of-state college would offer a sense of independence, a chance to meet new friends and help you escape parental control. But now, after a few days of classes, you realize just how much you miss home.
I know it didn’t take long for me to miss home. My campus house was only 25 minutes from my parents’ house, and yet, I noticed that my bed got more uncomfortable each night. I started to miss the walls of my old high school, and I couldn’t seem to shake the crowded college dining hall and parking lot. It wasn’t long before I decided to spend the weekend at my parents’ house.
It’s normal for college students to feel homesick, but it’s important that you learn to cope. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself skipping class and constantly griping to your roommate about how much you hate the campus.
Here are some tips on how to cope with homesickness:
Make your dorm room look like your old bedroom. Your dorm room may be what’s causing most of your homesickness. To make it feel more like home, fill it with pictures of loved ones and have your bed positioned in the same way it was in your old room.
Call home frequently. Calling home a few times a week is a great reminder that your loved ones are only a phone call away. You’ll reduce anxiety about being away from home knowing that you only have to dial a number to hear those missed voices. Plus, your parents miss you, too, and they want to know that you’re doing OK.
Ask Mom to send a care package. Maybe the cafeteria doesn’t have your favorite kind of soda, or maybe you miss that fleece blanket you got last Christmas. Whatever it may be, ask Mom to send you a package filled with the little things you miss about home.
Get out of your room. Feeling homesick seems to happen more frequently when you are all by yourself with nothing to do. Get involved in a campus club or attend those free college activities. You’ll spend less time thinking about home and more time meeting new friends.
The fool-proof way to beat homesickness is to enjoy your new surroundings. Give college a chance to be your new home, without forgetting the old one, and soon you’ll fit right in.
Also read:
Five Ways to Banish Homesick Blues when Returning to School
The Benefits of College Campus Tours
How to Beat College Downtime