Missing Home: How to Deal with Homesickness by Laura Estepa

Missing Home: How to Deal with Homesickness

Written by Laura Estepa

Summer Orientation Peer Advisor 

Undergraduate Student

Bogota, Colombia

It all started with the dream of studying abroad, countless sleepless nights studying and applying to universities. You get your acceptance letter and you feel extremely excited, you just got into one of your top choices! Now you’re boarding that plane about to start a new life, a life full of new experiences and opportunities, a life in a place where you will learn and grow as a person, the life you always dreamed about and thought was impossible at first. And now, you're here. It’s actually happening. It all seems incredible, like you're going to have the best memories of your life!

Wait, this seems too good to be true… What’s the catch? Why is it starting to feel like something is missing now that you’re here? Everything seemed like it was going to be so perfect and fun, you imagined yourself making new friends, meeting your professors, visiting different places, and enjoying your classes… but after a few weeks, you realize how hard it is to be so far away from your family and friends. All you wish sometimes is to just have one single hug from that special person, but you’ll probably have to wait until the semester or academic year ends to be able to get back home.

As an international student, you will feel, or have probably felt something like this before. But If you haven’t, I hope this didn't scare you and make you reconsider studying abroad twice (I’m sorry if it did!!). It is completely true that you will have one of the most amazing experiences here, and you will never regret coming. Studying abroad is such a rewarding experience and you will absolutely learn a lot from it. But yes, it might be hard for some of you who have spent most of your life living in your home country, especially if you’re coming to the US for the first time.

I can assure you that having these feelings is completely normal, and you shouldn't feel embarrassed about it. As proof, I’m actually about to start my fourth year of college, and I still get hit by that sad feeling each moment I step on the airplane, so I guess I could say I’m an expert at dealing with homesickness haha. This is why I’m here to share some of the strategies that help me alleviate those feelings and feel more connected with my family and culture when I'm far from home!

1. Video Call Your Friends and Family

Yes, I know it seems obvious! But sometimes life as a student gets overwhelming and busy, so don't forget to leave some free time to call them. You are so lucky to have someone at home who is thinking about you and cares for your well-being! So when you have the chance, give them a call and let them know how your classes are going, what fun activities you've done, and the things you’ve enjoyed the most so far. They are missing you too and will probably be excited to hear all your new stories.

Although, of course, it's not the same as talking in person, I find that videocalling my family and friends still helps to remind me of home, and they are still able to support me from afar when I need them.

(A picture I took of my home: Bogotá, Colombia)

2. Make a Playlist with Music from Your Culture

Sometimes when I’m very emotional and missing home, I put on my headphones and play my Latin American music playlist that I've been crafting to perfection for years. It is funny, before coming to the US, I rarely listened to Latin American music on my own, but I feel this is one of the things you take for granted when you’re home, and when you are away, you start to miss those familiar sounds and songs you used to hear in the background while shopping or walking around the city. Now when I listen to that playlist, my mood improves and it has even given me flashbacks of memories I connect with that music, memories of me spending time with friends and family. You can try this and hopefully you will get the same effect too!

3. Cook a Meal that Reminds You of Home

You’re probably craving that specific delicious dish you grew up eating. If you don’t have time to go to a restaurant that has it, or if it’s hard to find it in the US, try to cook it yourself! You can find a day to organize a special dinner for you and invite some of your friends to your place to share the meal (food tastes better when shared). Try to look for international markets around Ann Arbor for the ingredients, find a tutorial to prepare the dish on YouTube or ask someone from your family for the best recipe!

An additional tip is to bring to college a lot of traditional and non-perishable food items from your country each time you have the chance to go back! That way, you’ll already have some ingredients and familiar flavors for that comfort meal. The picture shows my collection of coffees I've brought from my country in previous occasions. I always have them when I’m missing Colombian coffee.

4. Take Care of Yourself

Mental health is as important as physical health. And homesickness may have effects on our feelings and emotions, so it’s very important to find activities that you enjoy doing to help you reduce stress. Try taking a break and do something for yourself. I personally love taking walks to appreciate nature, and see the beautiful buildings our college has. You can find a hobby you enjoy doing, like running, knitting, baking, dancing, trying new restaurants, etc. The goal is to have yourself as a priority and show how much you care about yourself.

Don’t forget that the university has a lot of resources focused on supporting mental health that are  available for all students, I recommend checking out CAPS if you ever need therapy support.

5. Hang Out with Your Friends Here!

Having a support system in college is one of the best things you can do. Meet new people through clubs, events, and classes. You can attend the International Center events and connect with other international students who may relate to your experiences so you can support each other. I find that communicating my feelings makes me feel so much better, so I recommend that you talk to friends and let them know how you’re feeling. Try to keep your mind busy so homesickness has a lesser effect. Do something fun with your friends here, explore new places, do things you all enjoy, and make cute memories that will last a lifetime.

(Trying a new restaurant with friends!)

I really hope you try out some of these strategies when you're missing home to make your day a little better. Finally, remember all of the hard work and effort you put into getting here, and how amazing and brilliant you are. You are doing this for yourself and all the great benefits you will get will exceed the cons.