Thanksgiving and Christmas break are right around the corner. Students are packing up their bags, ready to head home, but not all of us can have this luxury. Being in college means that, for some, money is tight. When you live hundreds or thousands of miles away, an airplane or car ride just isn’t ideal financially. As much as we all miss our families, sometimes a FaceTime or phone call just has to do the trick.

Now, for me, I love my family. I miss them all the time. But, when you have responsibilities (such as a dog) that hold you back from traveling, you have to love from a distance. I never thought that I would be spending the holidays alone, but we all, at some point in our lives, experience this loneliness.

If you are away from your family,

1. Try to keep the traditions alive.

2. Spend some time volunteering.

3. Plan to spend the holidays with friends that are near and dear to your heart.

4. Make sure to call your family, as they probably miss you too.

5. Write a letter to them before the holidays, and mail it out so that they can receive it just in time.

I know that these five little tips won’t fully fill the emotion of missing your family, but they can help. Tip number four is especially important because it is the holidays. So, make sure you let your family know that you love them and wish you could be there.