Updated On: 27 June 2024

How to deal with homesickness as an International Student?

Global exposure plays a very vital role in building our careers. Many students leave their home country every year and move to developed nations in search of better career opportunities. When you find yourself in a foreign land, culture, and sometimes even a new language, it can be challenging to be away from your family, friends, partners, pets, and traditions. In search of best education and opportunities students leave their home country and move to big cities, leading drastic change in cultural, climate and lifestyle. Such scenarios often lead to feeling of missing out, sadness and depression often known as homesickness. This blog will talk about what is homesickness? How to deal with homesickness? Symptoms of Homesickness and many more.

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What is Homesickness?

Homesickness is a feeling of distress brought on by being away from home. For many, it might appear differently. Among the most typical signs are:

Sadness or depression
Grief over leaving behind familiar surroundings
Worry or nervousness
Avoiding or withdrawing from other people
Feeling homesick for objects that bring back memories of your childhood.
Wanting to stay in your room or being frightened to leave it
Getting easily upset by new things or things done differently than you're used to.

How to deal with homesickness?

Realize that your reactions are normal

It's normal to feel uneasy in unfamiliar situations and want to return to home's old characters and surroundings. These emotions are expected throughout the adjustment period and will disappear once you feel at ease in your new surroundings.

Personalize your room

Bring some of your favourite things from home with you. That can be a favourite blanket, cushion, photograph, or other decors. You'll feel more at ease if your surroundings are more familiar.

Participate on campus

On-campus, many events can happen, especially in the first few weeks. Choose some that interests you and get started! They'll keep you occupied and present an opportunity for friendship-building.

Keep communication

Staying in touch with family and friends back home is easy with the help of phone calls, messages, emails, and social media sites.

Discuss the feeling with friends

Talk with Roommates or others: Even though it isn't being discussed, many kids probably feel the same way as you do. Talk about your feelings with your roommates or new classmates. It's possible that other kids were afraid to bring it up and were relieved that you brought it up first.

Take action: Participating in sports and other physical activities might help you overcome homesickness and improve your attitude. Team sports can promote social development and help you meet new people.

Discover a new favorite spot: This could be a specific coffee shop, a specific table at the library, or a tree with shade. It creates a comfortable environment where you might begin to feel more at ease.

Make a few locals your buddies: If you get to meet some locals, especially if you're from somewhere highly different, it might help you settle in more quickly.

Things you must not do when feeling homesickness

Avoid spending too much time in your room

Although it can be a hideaway during your time in college, you shouldn't spend all of your free time there. You will be unable to get outside, meet new people, or discover new interests because of it.

Don't spend every weekend at home

You miss your loved ones, and seeing them as frequently as possible, especially if they live nearby, might feel incredibly pleasant. Going home often, though, can prevent you from settling into your new life on campus. That can worsen your homesickness.

Don't disregard your emotions

It's very typical to miss home. You are becoming used to a new environment and culture. But if you push those emotions aside, they might condense and worsen your situation. By speaking with someone, writing in a journal, or creating art, try to convey those emotions.

Conclusion

Homesickness is common for everyone but especially for international students, missing home is always difficult. Will to call home or family, feeling irritated around new people and not willing to try and experience new things are some of the common symptoms of homesickness. You need to understand that this very normal and if you are feeling same or you know some going through the same feeling then its important to be vocal about it. Being happy and accepting change slowly is the key to overcome the feeling of homesickness. Stay tuned to SIEC blogs for more such issues with solutions related to international students.

Reach out to SIEC for Application inquiries and assistance.

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