Home. Such a simple word carries such a meaningful importance in our lives. Many consider home the place where they grew up and made their best memories. You may have just pictured your childhood bedroom or the comfy couch you sat on while staying up too late watching TV on a school night. While we grow up and move out, it's these things that we leave behind.
But it's not the material things that define home.
Home is quite literally a place. Your address proves that. But think of the word home. What was the instinctive feeling you had? While the answer is different for everyone, the best way to describe it overall is the feeling of comfort. It's why many new college students catch a nasty little bug called homesickness.
Coming down with homesickness is unlike any bug you've had before. To be pulled from your comfort zone and yanked from the people who understand you fully can be brutal. We can't comprehend how badly we will miss something until we no longer have it, but we can create the comforts of home in a different place.
The comforts of home are largely dependent on the people who you share it with. Missing your family, friends, pets, or whoever comforted you during your days spent living at home is completely normal. Today's teenagers have an advantage that those in years prior were neglected of cell phones. We can call whoever, whenever, wherever. So call, text, FaceTime and Snapchat whenever you can! Hearing your mom's voice or your friends' laugh can really help ease those homesickness blues.
One of the best ways to subside the pain of homesickness is to keep yourself distracted. Little escapes from the daily tasks are a perfect way to distress and relax. Watching Netflix, listening to music, going for a walk, or even coloring are perfect ways to keep yourself busy in ways you enjoy.
Another way to bring the comforts of home wherever you are is too, quite literally, bring the comforts of home wherever you are. Pack up your favorite blanket, that pillow you love so much, and TONS of pictures to feel right at home in your dorm or apartment.
Homesickness is a problem that most people, if not everyone, experiences at some point. It can be scary and lonely, but like Miley Cyrus once said, "you'll always find your way back home."
