For me, home has always been the beach, and no matter how long I’ve been at school or what year I am in school, I always start to feel homesick. I miss the sand and the ocean, and summertime good vibes.

It’s that time of the semester when everyone has a ton of work, is sick with a cold, the flu or the plague, and is starting to feel homesick. No matter what year you are, you’ll feel homesick at some point. You’ll miss your bed, your friends, the way your house smells, the way your mom cooks dinner and (most of all) your dog. This is the time in the semester where you need to give yourself many pep talks and take your weeks day by day. When you’re in doubt, here are some things to help you make it.

Remember, this is all temporary and you’ll make it through. You will graduate and find a great career. But take your time and enjoy yourself. College you should be time to work hard, but a time to have fun too. Realize that you are here for yourself and only yourself. Take this as a time to get to know yourself and improve yourself.

Everything will fall into place. But not right away. And that’s okay. It will take some time for you to get into the swing of things on campus, to find your classes and get used to living in a dorm. You’ll eventually develop a schedule for yourself, and become accustomed to alone time.

Live in the moment. Don’t be obsessing over going home from the minute you get on campus. Get involved and enjoy all your school has to offer. There is literally something for everyone on campus, so find your niche!
Don’t spend too much time alone. If you’re feeling homesick, don’t isolate yourself. Feeling alone with your thoughts isn’t always a good thing, and you can talk yourself into a bad place. Spend time with your roommate(s), and get to know people on your floor and on campus. Most importantly, though, like I said before, get involved! Once you find a club or sport or activity that you like, you’ll find awesome people that have similar interests to you and make great relationships!

Don’t give up on yourself. You may think any of the things I listed above won’t happen for you. I didn’t think that for myself for a long time. But I have finally found my place at West Chester and have realized I’ve made some amazing relationships that will last a lifetime. So seriously, don’t give up on yourself. Work hard, put yourself first and embrace your college career. It will make it all worthwhile in the end.