It's no surprise most college students find themselves extremely homesick from time to time. For freshmen, this is the first time they are away from home. For the rest of us, well, do we really need an excuse? Whether you go to school 3,000 miles from home or 30 miles from home, homesickness is real.
The house I live in today is the house I've lived in all my life. My bedroom that now has walls of pictures and posters, once had a crib and a rocking chair. My basement that now has piles of old boxes and unused furniture was once the ultimate playroom for my sisters and I. My street that I now park my car on was once where I learned to ride my bike. This is the house that built me.
For people like me, our families are what make our houses our homes. Sure, I miss my hometown and the comfort of my own home. I miss my bed. I miss the couch in my living room. I miss my backyard. What makes me homesick is not only the aspects of my home but it's the people I share it with.
My family members are my favorite people in my world. My parents are my biggest supporters, my sisters are my biggest role models. My dog is my prized possession. My family has always been tight-knit. I have always been thankful for that. We face our highest obstacles together and always have each others backs - the same goes with my friends whom I consider family.
Don't get me wrong, I have friends at college who support me. I love spending time with my friends and I miss them when I'm not at school. I love my school and I consider it my second (although temporary) home. As I take on my last years here, I continue to find myself homesick. After a long summer of being home, I have always found it hard to readjust to being back at school. I find myself getting homesick as Thanksgiving break is approaching - when exams are taking over my life and my stress is unmeasurable. Although home is only an hour and a half away in my case, it can sometimes feel like it's worlds away.
To my fellow homesick college students:
What many people do not realize is that it's okay to be homesick. Being homesick doesn't make you any less of an "adult." We are in our late teens and early twenties, how are we expected to walk away from our upbringing so easily and pain-free? We aren't.
I've found it helpful to stay in touch as much as I can while away at school. My family group chat makes me feel connected and "in the loop," even if it's just my sister sending a link to a funny video she saw on Facebook. Video chatting is a huge help - being able to see and hear my family at the same time (ok I'll admit, I mostly do it to see my dog because she isn't capable of texting me). It's easy to prevent that occasional feeling of disconnect.
Just because you don't notice your friends constantly talking to their parents or siblings, doesn't mean you should second-guess doing it yourself. As college students, we all cope with being away from home differently. After all, each of us have different experiences at school and different family dynamics at home.
As the semester kicks off, keep in mind the challenges you've already faced prior to today. I like to think I am strong enough to handle being a little homesick here and there after successfully tackling two full years as a college student (studying science, might I add). Before you know it, you'll be home enjoying Sunday dinner with your family again and kissing that dog you adore so much.
Dorothy was spot on when she said, "There's no place like home."
