I'm a junior in college, and I'm embarrassed to say that I'm, once again, struggling with homesickness. I've been trying to brush it off and ignore it, push through and make it until spring break until going home. But I have a long weekend coming up, and all my friends are talking about their plans while they're home.
It's only made me realize how much I miss being home.
I miss playing and snuggling with my dog and fighting for space on the couch. I miss my dad's sarcastic comments and his laugh, his big hugs, and his willingness to always warm my cold hands.
I miss watching Law and Order with my mom and inevitably falling asleep on the couch with her. In the morning, when we'd wake up, we laugh because it always happens. I miss her laugh and her smile.
I miss home-cooked meals and just cooking in general. I miss the ocean, even if it does make the temperature colder.
I miss the weird things, too, like not having to leave my house to get food and showering without shower shoes (which is a weird thing I never thought I'd end up missing).
It might only be week four, but it's been a long, stressful four weeks. Admittedly, it hasn't been my most productive, even though I've been going to the library and getting my homework done and in on time, and I've been doing some assignments early. I'm fairly satisfied with my work.
Maybe some of this has to do with the weather — the bitter cold mornings and afternoons, the temperature is below freezing 24/7 these days. I don't really go out much besides going to classes and getting meals at the dining hall. I don't like the cold weather.
So — how do we deal with homesickness? Most websites said about the same things (which made research pretty easy).
Get out of your dorm room.
By getting involved in teams, clubs, and groups, you begin to make connections with people who have similar interests. (I met my best friend through the Odyssey, and she drags me out to hockey games and makes sure I eat.)
Stay connected with people back home, and don't force yourself to forget about it completely.
It's important to remember you can always go back home, and if you can't, you can always call or FaceTime your parents.
One thing my mom did for me one day my first semester was she took me grocery shopping over FaceTime. I was able to spend a bit of time with my mom and see my coworkers. It was nice to be reminded of those connections.
I was feeling pretty sad and down in the dumps when I started writing this article, but doing a bit of reflection seemed to put the homesickness at bay (for now). Focusing on other things, besides how much you miss home, was another thing an article suggested to do.
