We all swore we wouldn't be homesick. We counted down the days until we moved out. We rushed our moms and dads out the door of our new dorm/apartment on move in day. They were "out of sight and out of mind" for a little while. Then all of a sudden, out of no where, our new bed doesn't feel nearly as comfy as the one back home. You wish you could text your high school friends telling them to meet up in less than an hour. Having a homemade meal is now a rare blessing, and carry-out pizza suddenly doesn't seem so appealing.
First things first, it is completely okay to be homesick. It happens to everyone in college at some point or another. Being away from home comes with an array of different emotions. Ecstasy for finally having freedom. Surprise at how different your new "home" is from your real home. Optimism for all of the new opportunities you are presented with, and all of the new friends you will make. Apprehension to your family's multiple requests for you to come home a million times. Annoyance at your families lack or abundance of phone calls. And then finally, sadness or grief for the life you had back at home.
We've all been there. We are all riding the same emotional roller coaster. However, for what ever reason we all seem to suppress these emotions and pretend we aren't upset about being away from home. For a long time, I felt like I was the only one at my college of over 28,000 students who missed their mom and dad so severely. It's such a confusing feeling that I didn't want to admit it to anyone. Not my mom, my roommate, or my best friends back at home.
Once I finally did, everyone admitted that they either do or did feel the exact same way. Know that you aren't the only one who has sudden urges to drive home in the middle of the night and skip the next days class. Also know it's okay to act on this feeling. Go home. See your friends, your pets, and your parents (last but not least). No one is going to judge you or label you as a "home body". That party that all of your college friends are going to this upcoming weekend probably won't be as "epic" as you think. Even if it is, there will be another one just like it next weekend.
