5 Tips when you miss home
So, you made it. Finally, you live all by yourself in a foreign country. Your dream of living abroad has finally come true. After all the research you have done, all the talks to your parents to let you go study abroad, all the savings to pay for your time abroad and now, all you want to do is go back home? Homesickness is normal and most students who study abroad, feel it. So here are 5 Tips when you miss home, that will make you feel better.
Well, first of all, let me tell you that being homesick in the beginning and sometimes during your stay abroad is perfectly normal. Most people that I know, who went abroad for an extended period of time, have experienced exactly what you are experiencing right now – homesickness.
You just arrived at your dream destination and you were looking for fun, adventure, excitement, new friends and now you are hiding from the world, spending you time crying your face off. But here my promise:
IT WILL GET BETTER!
Everyday, you will feel less homesick enjoy your time like you had planned. Try my 5 Tips when you miss home that will help you make the most of your study abroad adventure!
1. Get out of your room
Whether you are already living in the dorm, with a host family or by yourself: Get dressed and get out of your room. Explore the university or the city you now live in. Take in the smells and watch the people. How are they different from your home country? Take your iPod with you and listen to your favorite music and try to take in as many impressions as you can.
2. Write you parents/boyfriend/girlfriend/friends
Rather than calling, you should consider writing your family, friends or your lover back home, you should consider writing. Tell them about what you have seen during your first trip around your new premises, the people, the food, everything. The reason why I recommend writing over a phone call, is because a phone call lets you be closer to your loved ones back home and especially in the beginning, this will make it harder, not easier.
Also think about writing you very personal feelings in a journal. When you call your parents and can’t barely speak because you are crying so much, you will only worry them and while you feel better every day, they are still thinking it was the biggest mistake to let you go abroad.
3. Organize stuff
Try to keep busy and get all the things done, that need to be taken care of, such as opening a bank account, registering at the university, find out where to buy books and what the fastest way to the library is. As in most cases when you are sad, try to keep busy and try not to think about home and how much you miss your loved ones. Put the thoughts of being homesick out of your head and once you get through the first couple of days, it won’t be as hard.
4. Go out and Party
Yes, I know, right now, you probably don’t feel like a party-animal, rock star or dancing queen. Try to connect with some other Newbies at your university and explore and have a good time. Force yourself to go out and experience the culture and the country. That is the reason why you came here in the first place, right? And I will promise you one thing: You will regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t make the most of your adventure abroad.
5. Explore, connect, explore together!!!
The more you get out there and get familiar with your new surroundings, the faster you will feel at home and comfortable. Of course, you can do that yourself, but even better, if you can connect with other people and explore together.
However, it is important that you connect NOT ONLY with people from your home country or other international students. Especially in the beginning this is very hard, I understand this, but once you have your group of friends and they are all from your home country, it will be very hard to find local friends. You are addicted to coffee? Try to find a nice little coffee shop that lets you indulge your need for it and utilize your language skills to order your coffee.
When this goes well, maybe it encourages you to strike up a conversation with another coffee lover. Love to surf the net? Try to find a nice internet cafe, even if you have wireless in your new home. It will help you to get out of the house and be among locals.
I hope these 5 tips when you miss home help you to get over you homesickness, adjust better and get over the first hard days a little bit better. Most people feel homesick and most people also get over it in a shorter or longer period of time. Good luck for your adventure abroad. Let it begin now!
Did you like this post? Read more on how to make the most of your stay abroad and how to keep in touch with your family and friends when studying abroad
5 Tips when you miss home – image source: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/alone%20woman/
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Rather interesting. Has few times re-read for this purpose to remember. Thanks for interesting article. Waiting for trackback
Very good suggestions! I would also recommend using an international phone service. You can take a telephone number from your home country and use it abroad. That way family/friends can call you “locally” even though you’re half the world away.
A good service is CampusCom (www.campuscom.ca)
Yep! I agree it’s harder because you hear their voice.. and writing is such a nice way to keep in touch (especially by regular mail).. but sometimes the voice is what you need!
Good posting!!!
Dear Steve,
First of all, thank you for your comment. However, I would advise you to state any connections to campuscom.ca in case you are in any way affiliated to this company. Otherwise, you might get into trouble for not disclosing this.
Have a great day,
Maria
I though it was useful but I don’t think anything can help me forget about home I’m 16
Moved from New Zealand to uk around a year ago and try and try everyday but it’s not working):: ): ):
I think that they are some very good tips. I myself have been experiencing homesickness too. Truth is, home is where your heart is. Your new surroundings will never be home unless you want it to be. If you don’t, that too is fine. Just appreciate the cause you are there for and then think about how proud the folks back home will be if you did as you set out to do. I wish all readers the very best.
Thank you I really need to read this
Came to the US a week ago from China. I ‘m 16 missing home so so so much…! I’m sometimes so sad that the only thing I can do is crying…and get even more upset after a video call with my parents… It’s very hard to make friends,too…Good post though. I believe we will all get better.
I suppose you might feel the odd tinge of homesickness on your first overseas stay, I did (Nigeria). But then after the second (Japan) or third (Hong Kong) you realize it’s all par for the course and you start to feed off it, and in the end find it quite invigorating !! Looking back, it was something necessary to do – that probably makes no sense whatsoever lol !!
Do a little research about where you’re living and find a few places you absolutely have to explore –- the ten best coffee shops in the city, the favorite locations for local street artists or all the different places you can go kayaking. Make a list of these places or activities and challenge yourself to do/see all of them before you leave. This will give you something fun to do and keep you focused on the next adventure where you are, instead of dwelling on what’s happening at home.
The most important thing is to do something, not let your feelings destroy you from the inside.
The homesickness is a strange feeling. I thought that in another country I would have so much fun and no time to be sad at all, but it turned out that about two weeks after the beginning of the semester abroad, I just wanted to go home terribly. It was a complete rejection of the new experience. But precisely because I was trying to focus on the current experience, I overcame that depressing feeling.
Studying abroad is a unique experience. Don’t let your homesickness protect you from new emotions, new friends, and knowledge.