COPING WITH HOMESICKNESS

Each year thousands of students leave home for the first time to go to university. Beginning life at university naturally generates both excitement and anxiety about the move, academic work, and meeting with new people. For some, this apprehension is quickly overcome as they adapt to a new environment; for others the transition takes longer and sometimes emerges as homesickness where there is a preoccupation with home-focused thoughts. Homesickness is one of the most common adjustment problems experienced by students, particularly new students, who are moving away from home for the first time.

Some students may start by being mildly depressed and anxious several weeks before leaving home in anticipation of a major change in their lives. Some will experience homesickness within the first days or weeks. Others may find themselves feeling homesick for the first time late in the semester, perhaps after the holiday break or even as late as the start of the second academic year.

Vulnerability to feeling homesick can be affected by:

• The distance from home
• A sense of anticlimax at arriving, having worked hard for so long
• Whether it was your decision to come
• Unhappiness due to expectations not being met
• Feeling out of control with the work load
• Differences in lifestyle, especially when coming from another culture

Those who are homesick often feel they have no control over their environment, and that they are not identified with it or committed to the university or their place in it.

•  Acknowledge that you are feeling homesick. It is a very natural and common response for students who leave home. Remember that many other students are sharing similar feelings, even though they may not tell you about it.
•  Talk to someone. If you have not yet made friends here, then set up an appointment time to meet with a staff member at the ISSS, Dual Diploma office or a counselor at the Counseling Center. You might also want to meet with the head of your faith community, if you are a member of one.
•  Keep in touch with people at home and fix a time to go back but place a limit on telephone usage. Tell or write to them about your activities and experiences.
•  Plan a date to go home and make arrangements. This helps to curtail impulsive home visits and helps ease the adjustments process.
•  Put up some photos of home, family and friends on your bulletin board. Mix the photos with photos of your favorite campus buildings, activities, or events and new friends you have made at Binghamton.
•  Establish a routine as soon as possible. The fuller your days are, the less time you will have to feel homesick or lonely.
•  Make contacts and friends through shared activities such as sport or other interests. There are so many clubs and societies within the university and city, that you are very likely to find something that suits your particular interests. At the start of the academic year many new people will be joining - you are unlikely to be the only new person.
•  Get to know the Binghamton University campus and the surrounding Binghamton community. Take a friend and explore interesting things to do and places to see. Share what you have learned with family and friends back home.