Homesickness is the feeling to be surrounded by friendly and familiar things or to be home. Typical symptoms of this can be a lack of appetite, sadness, and anxiety. And the reason for this is simply the loss or absence of familiarity. Going to an international destination for higher studies comes with lots of challenges – language barriers, different eating habits, cultural differences, and unknown environments.
So, what are the ways to make this transition smoother? In this post, we will tell you the tips that you can follow to deal with homesickness while studying abroad. Let us get started!
1.Talk to your family or friends (but not too much)
It is always great to talk to your family and friends and find some comfort in them. But this could stop you from settling down to your new place as well. It is important to stay in touch with your loved ones but it is suggested not to spend all your day talking to them. Life is all about balance, so distribute equal time to everything.
2.Spend time to make your new place feel like home
Hang up some pictures of your loved ones or simply bring your favorite stuffed animals to make your space comfortable and friendly. Since you are trying to make your place feel like home, it does not mean you will stay in your room the whole day. Go out and find the best place to eat or try the best coffee or the best places to study. These activities will help you deal with homesickness.
3.Take out some time for exercise and meditation
Going for a morning walk or run or doing some meditation is the best way to deal with homesickness and understand the surroundings better. These activities will also help you relax your mind and make you feel great.
4.Give time to the activities or things you are passionate about
Do not mess up with your routine, try to maintain it. If you love to play football, it is good to join a team. You can check with the student union of your university to see what sports or other teams you could join. If you enjoy painting, take out some time for this activity. If you seriously want to beat the homesickness, start getting into your passions. It will help you easily settle down and make new friends.
5.Explore new activities to utilize free time
Always focus on the positive changes only. You can keep track of the interesting things you have done. For this, you can start a blog. Additionally, you can make a new social media account to share the interesting details along with beautiful shots of the place and campus. These activities will keep you busy and help you deal with homesickness.
6.Explore and learn about your host country
While studying abroad, it is advisable to explore your host country and know more about its history, traditions, cultures, social values, and social norms. All these details will help you feel less homesick and more secure.
7.Be patient
Going to a new place, creating a new home, and maintaining a routine is a process. Be kind to others as well as yourself. Do not expect everything to fall flawlessly into the place straight away.
Closing Remarks
Just because you are homesick today does not mean you will feel homesick forever. It is normal missing what is familiar and comfortable. But eventually, you will start getting familiar and comfortable with the new life.
To know more about the best study abroad destinations, universities/colleges, courses available, and so on, contact AEC on +91-8448446609 or 011-43334444 or send your queries at enquiry@aecoverseas.com. You can also book your FREE counseling session with our dedicated career counselors by visiting our official website.