Surviving Homesickness.doc

Surviving Homesickness
TIPS FOR MANAGING HOMESICKNESS
Why do I feel this way?
One of the major changes in a person’s life involves the transition from home to university. It’s a transition filled with excitement, expectation, and adventure. It can also be marked by homesickness, which can sometimes make people feel quite miserable. It is important to remember that homesickness is a normal process which many students go through. It is a time of letting go. When we move to a new place, even if it is by our own choice, there are adjustments to be made. These adjustments are necessary ones, but may seem difficult at first. Some students may adapt quickly to their new environment. However, for other students the transition may take longer and sometimes emerges as homesickness where there is a upation with home-focused thoughts. There is a yearning for and grieving over the loss of what is familiar and secure: most often it is about the loss of people – family and friends – but it is also about the loss of places and routines. Two important tasks faced by students as part of their adjustment process include:
Leaving familiar things, people and places.
Adapting to new things, people and places.
Homesickness is not unusual. Being at university presents new ways of living your life. As you try to cope with new routines and a new environment you may experience homesickness in some