Moving To University: How To Deal With Homesickness
Moving to university? We’ve got everything you need from how to deal with homesickness to symptoms, and support.
First of all, congratulations! You made it to uni! See? All that studying paid off in the end.
Whether it’s your first year or you’re a returning student, moving to university is a major step and change.
But, along with all the fun that comes with escaping the nest, you may end up facing homesickness and dealing with some of the symptoms that feeling homesick at uni might bring.
According to our Freshers’ report, 64.4% of students are anxious about making new friends, which can contribute to feeling homesick.
It’s completely normal, though. In fact, according to the National Union of Students (NUS) as many as 70% of students who live away from home feel homesick at uni. While that doesn’t take away the root of homesickness, it should at least provide a little bit of comfort, knowing you’re not alone in the feeling.
If you’re moving to uni, or have already moved, here’s everything you need to know about feeling homesick and how to navigate it.
In this guide:
- What is homesickness?
- Moving to university
- What does homesick feel like?
- How to deal with homesickness
- Resources and support
What is homesickness?
Homesickness is the emotional distress you might experience when in a new or unfamiliar environment. It can make you miss your old routine, the people you see daily, your friends and family.
It might feel stressful or anxiety-inducing, but it can also make you feel nostalgic, longing for whatever you’ve left behind. It normally occurs due to change, and not having access to the things that brought you comfort before.
Luckily, homesickness is usually a short-term feeling. It might seem like it will last forever because the feelings feel strong or overwhelming, but give it time and hopefully feeling homesick will ease up.
Moving to university
Moving to university is a huge milestone. It’s also one of life’s experiences that can cause feelings of homesickness. While it’s a super exciting time in your life, full of new and wonderful experiences, it can be difficult for others, especially if you’re trying to make friends as an introvert or if you’re trying to navigate university with a neurodiversity.
Homesickness is something anyone and everyone can experience at some point in their life. And for university students, it can come fast around the corner and slap you in the face (typically after your parents drop you off at your new headquarters).
A combination of being miles away from home, knowing no one in your new city, the weight of unpacking and getting to grips with your new freedom, it’s a lot for anyone to deal with. Not forgetting to mention the ever-looming, impending doom of trying to handle exam stress and the common arguments with your uni housemates that might eventually arise.
Homesickness will have you questioning whether you made the right decision to move and have you wanting to call up the family to whisk you away back to comfort. It’s not unreasonable to feel that way — you’ve made a pretty significant life change, it’s totally okay to feel homesick at uni.
But, how do you know if what you’re feeling is, in fact, homesickness?
What does homesick feel like?
Homesickness can feel different from person to person. Some people may feel low, lonely, and emotionally drained. Others might have more physical symptoms, such as being unable to sleep, or experiencing frequent headaches.
You might find yourself fixated on thinking about your home, or concerned about your friends and family, wondering when you’ll next see them. Homesickness can also appear as a hollow feeling, a consistent pining for something familiar.
Recite affirmations for when you’re feeling lonely to remind yourself that this feeling is temporary and you have the ability to overcome it.
Homesickness symptoms
Homesickness symptoms can vary between people, but these are some of the more common signals that you’re feeling homesick.
- Disturbed sleeping
- Headaches/stomach aches
- Lack of appetite (or increased)
- Irritability or anger
- Sadness/crying
- Lethargic
- Difficulty concentrating
- Anxiety/panic
- Feelings of nausea
If you notice any of these symptoms, and you’ve just made the move to uni, you may be dealing with homesickness. It’s not pleasant to experience, but hold on to the belief that it should only last a short period of time, if you take the necessary strategies to overcome it.
How to deal with homesickness
If you don’t try and manage your homesickness, it could manifest itself into serious mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
It’s normal to feel this way as a new uni student, but here are some of the things you can do to try and help your homesickness.
- Create your space: put out pictures of your loved ones and all your favourite things to give you some familiar comfort and a space to retreat to when you need it.
- Connection is crucial: missing your friends and family? Stay connected! We are in the Digital Age — text, call, video chat, email, send memes; you’re only a phone signal away. Don’t overdo it, though.
- Don’t neglect yourself: it’s super easy to turn to bed rotting to avoid everything, but you won’t be doing yourself any favours. Try and eat healthily as possible (check out our easy uni student lunch ideas), do things you enjoy, go outside or exercise. Physical health is important, too.
- Be present: if you focus on the past too much, or what you left behind to move to uni, you’ll miss out on so much in the present! Focus on attending Freshers’ Week or starting conversations with your housemates; remember why you’re there and keep that at the forefront of your mind.
- Talk it out: you won’t be alone in feeling homesick. Mention it to your housemate or someone on your course, and they’ll probably say the same thing, or at the very least, they might be able to sympathise and offer support. Don’t be afraid to be a little vulnerable when making friends, they’ll appreciate the candidness.
- Distract yourself: okay, I know I said to be present, but you can still be present and distracted from your feelings of homesickness. Take up a new hobby, socialise, explore your new uni town, practice mindfulness, anything you enjoy!
- Be patient: moving away to unfamiliar territory takes time to adjust to. Allow yourself to feel what you feel, but don’t let it control you. If you try to push through it, it will get easier.
Use our Headspace student discount for 85% off your Headspace plan when you take your journey to become a more peaceful you.
Resources and support
It’s okay to admit if you need support dealing with homesickness. If you need someone to talk to for advice and guidance, here are some of the resources available to you.
- Your university — your uni should offer support regarding mental and physical health which will vary between universities; it’s worth checking what yours has to offer.
- Student Minds — a mental health charity for students. You can text or call for support throughout your university journey.
- Samaritans — if you need urgent guidance, you can contact a Samaritan via call (anytime for free) or email.
- Nightline Association — a listening service for students, run by students. You can call, text, or instant message with trained volunteers to speak freely about anything troubling you.
If you feel like opening up to your friends (old ones or new uni ones) but you’re unsure how to start, check out how to talk to your friends about mental health. We know it isn’t always easy!
Make sure you’re prepared for the next big step in your journey with our Freshers’ guide with everything you need to know.
