It was the first day of high school back home last week, and I do not think I have ever experienced a greater sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) in my eighteen years on this planet.
When my mom sent me a picture of my brothers in their first day of school outfits, I was hit with a wave of emotions that brought on the waterworks all too quickly. I wanted to be there to tell my freshman brother that he has nothing to fear, not even the seemingly menacing seniors. I wanted to let my junior brother know that he was about to embark on a long, mentally exhausting year, but that he will survive and all will be fine. Shooting them a text with my sisterly advice eased some of my anxieties about not being there, but it simply was not the same as getting to physically do it.
Don’t get me wrong--I am having a blast at college. Meeting new people and learning the ins and outs of my newfound independence has been keeping me more than busy. However, I still find myself homesick from time to time, especially when it comes to major events at home. As I thought over whether or not I was simply being overdramatic, I realized that these feelings I am having are completely natural. It’s okay to miss home.
If you’re like me, you’ve never been away from home for more than a week, only been out of your home time zone once, and haven’t had to do your own laundry (thanks, Mom). That being said, the feeling of missing home is something that is to be expected. It is totally fine if you tear up whenever you see someone walking their dog on the street because you miss your dog more than anything. Crying because you stared at the pictures of your family and friends plastered on your wall too long? Not to worry, you’re not alone. When you start to panic as the clock strikes one in the morning and you are still doing work and you can’t go and cry to your mom or dad about it, that is absolutely alright.
Home is a place where you are one hundred percent comfortable with your surroundings, a place that is familiar and warm. While it is important that you take care of your homesickness, it is also essential that you try to create that same sensation at school. Considering you will be living at school for longer than you will be at home, you need to make sure that you have at least one place where you are at ease. Whether it be your dorm room, the lounge, or even the dining hall, having a place that feels like home will make your experience much more enjoyable.
Should you be able to relate to any of this, remember again that you are not alone. Just because someone looks like they have their whole college life figured out already, chances are that they are missing home just as much as you are. Surrounding yourself with good company and people who can relate to your feelings will help in putting your homesickness at ease. Having two places to call home can be difficult, but knowing that you have two places where you are welcomed is a feeling most would do anything to have.
