How to Deal with Homesickness

Personally, moving 2,177 miles from Seattle to Atlanta was a BIG change. The first couple of weeks of college were definitely difficult for me. Arriving at college not knowing anybody, and knowing that many of my friends were going to the same university was very difficult. I missed my family and I felt like I was missing out on college with my friends back home.  However, I was able to over come my homesickness and enjoy my time in college with a few simple things.


1. Writing Letters- Call me old fashioned, but receiving a letter in the mail is way more exciting than receiving an email. I wrote to some of my best friends, and in return, they sent me a letter. This was an awesome way for me to get a simple pick me up if I was having a bad week.
2. Looking at the Big Picture- In retrospect, the little time i've had here at college has flown by and I'm sure the next couple of weeks leading up to break will fly by as well. With that said, look at the big picture because before you know it break will be a week away and you'll be able to see your family.
3. Distract Yourself- Whether it be submerging yourself in your school work, or planning small events with your friends, one of the best things to do can be to distract yourself! By not dwelling on the fact that you miss home, you'll spend more time being productive and enjoying yourself than sulking around.
4. PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES!- Before I left for college, I made sure that I packed pictures of my friends and family to give me motivation and make my dorm feel more like home.

Falling into a perpetual stage of sulking can be very detrimental to your mental health. In fact, there becomes a point where a person can be so depressed they create a hormone imbalance in their body which leads to more health issues.

Just remember, there's always winter break to look forward to! Before you know it you'll be reunited with you friends and family.

-Ulri