Moving to university can be one of the most exciting, liberating, and daunting experiences ever. Whether you’re moving across the globe or simply to another city, it’s natural to feel an overwhelming feeling of homesickness. Especially at the beginning of your transition into your new life, you will probably become a bit too familiar with this feeling. Yet, there are ways to ease your pain.
Here Yasamin Saadat, a fourth year Film and Media student at the University of Stirling, shares her top ways to beat homesickness.
Keep in touch
Keeping in touch with friends and family from home is very important. It’s important to keep your connection strong with your loved ones and being away from home could be hard. But thankfully, for the power of the internet, it’s one of the easiest things you could do now. They are missing you just as much as you are missing them.
Create a group chat with school friends or your family to help you keep in touch. And it’s very helpful with arranging group calls.
However, make sure to find a good balance of keeping in touch with home and still making the effort to get to know the new people around you. You don’t want to miss out on any new experiences.
Join clubs and societies
The best way to make friends at university is by joining clubs and societies at your university. It helps you with meeting people with similar interests. The University of Stirling has over 120 clubs for you to choose from!
Keep up with your habits
Keep yourself busy by keeping up with your habits. Routines always help with not overwhelming yourself with too much change at once.
Keep up with your daily exercises. It helps with anxiety and improves your mood!
Decorate your room
Create a safe space for yourself, bring some photographs to hang up, or a book that brings you a lot of comfort. These things will help you with cheering up when you need it.
Give yourself time
The most important key to growing over something is to allow yourself time to understand your emotions towards it. Your body will always send you signals when it needs your help, so listen to it. If you understand where it’s coming from, it will help you in the long run of the next years ahead.
Don’t be shy to talk about it
It’s easy to think that you’re the only person battling these emotions, but you’re not alone. Many of your classmates and friends are probably experiencing similar emotions.
Cook meals similar to home
Try cooking foods you miss or that bring you comfort. You could also invite your new flatmates and friends to join you, they’re probably eager to try some delicious new foods!
Remind yourself why you’re here
The most challenging part of being away is understanding why you need to study away. For a lot of people, it is because of the certificate, for others, it could be learning how to be independent. It varies for everyone but remember it’s importance.