Missing home can be challenging for anyone, particularly college students in their first year. If you frequently find yourself longing for contact with your family and friends back home, or you feel irritated or shy when interacting with people in college, don’t panic. Homesickness is quite common, with studies showing that more than 70 percent of freshmen experience it in severe forms.

Homesickness can dampen students’ college experiences, making learners feel lost and sad. Understand that everyone misses home at some point, and feelings of homesickness tend to dissipate with time. Here are some tips to help you cope if you are feeling homesick.

• Understand that Homesickness Is Normal

At its core, homesickness is linked to feelings of familiarity and security. As you make efforts to fit into the new campus environment, you may start to miss your friends and family. Students often feel homesick when they are unable to register desired control over the transition. You are also likely to feel homesick if you don’t have much experience living away from home.

The easiest way to deal with homesickness is to understand that the feelings are normal and will diminish after some time. Thousands of other students are dealing with similar feelings. Instead of panicking, love life one day at a time and try to embrace your new surroundings and what college offers.

• Go Outdoors More Often

One of the reasons students feel isolated and lonely during the transition to college is living a sedentary lifestyle. While you may think that your room is more comfortable and convenient, isolation does not help when feeling anxious. Get out of your room often and become more involved. Going out for evening walks enables you to adjust and familiarize yourself with your new environment.

Being in the natural environment has profound health benefits, including improved mood, boosted immune system, and increased antioxidants. In other words, being outdoors helps you attune to campus life and benefits your mind and body.

• Try to Make More Friends

Having a solid social support network is essential in college and comes in handy when facing challenges. College is the best place to formulate friendships that not only help you cope with life on campus but can offer support long after graduation. Make your campus experience enjoyable by going out and making friends. Look for people with whom you share hobbies and interests.

However, understand that college is filled with people of diverse personalities, mannerisms, and intentions. While you should be outgoing, don’t rush to trust. The more you go out and make friends, the more comfortable you feel being in college.

• Remain in Contact with Family Back Home

While your main goal should be to fit into your new college environment, don’t forget about your connections back home. As you work through the transition, appreciate that those you care about are always just a call or text away. Being in contact with those you love will allow you to ease into the transition. Just limit the interactions with your family, ensuring it does not interfere with your ability to make new connections in college.

• Seek Support When Needed

Even the most talented students need backing regularly. Homesickness can be defined as sensations of yearning for family and home when one is away from loved ones. Sometimes the feelings of sadness can be overwhelming and can get in the way of completing assignments.

To succeed in college, you need to know when to seek support. Maybe you have several assignments due, and you need to be studying for an important test. Instead of stressing about these tasks, hire a professional essay writer to work on some of your tasks. Students feeling homesick can also ask for assistance from a student counselor.

• Reach Out and Help Others