Whether people want to admit it or not, at some stage in their life, homesickness is something nearly everyone struggles with while staying overseas.
Nevertheless, studying abroad will be one of your most thrilling and memorable life experiences. The struggles will help you grow individually and socially, building up self-confidence and competence in the long run.
Here are some tips on settling yourself in a new place and feeling a little less homesick.
Don’t hesitate to share
Sharing your feelings with someone you trust can bring great comfort. Do not hesitate to share it with them no matter how you feel because keeping things to yourself while away from home might worsen matters. Your loved ones can help you cope with difficult situations and always give you the best advice.
Ask for help
When needed, ask people around you for help, your roommates, college friends, colleagues, or anyone you can contact. Don’t try to deal with everything alone, or you might end up exhausting yourself. Your school will most likely organize counselling and student support services, so make sure you attend those since it greatly helps international students. You can also contact student support staff to seek help regarding studies or personal problems.
Go out and treat yourself
During weekends, you can plan getaways with your friends to relax and start afresh with a positive mindset. Search for beautiful destinations online, book your tickets, witness nature’s beauty and try all kinds of cuisines. Attend concerts, festivals, and events around you and ensure you experience it all while you can. Don’t spend your weekends or free time in your room or online. Step out and make memories.
Keep in touch!
Someday you might miss your friends and family a little too much and feel lonely thinking about home, the streets, your favourite food and the fun you used to have back home. When you’re free, spare some time to video call them and try to keep in touch as much as you can, video calling works best against homesickness. But it is also advised not to spend too much time on social media since you might miss them even more and feel lonely. Spend time interacting with your college friends and roommates and making many friends.
Make your new space a ‘cosy home’
Being away from home can make you feel a little lonely, but you have to settle yourself in your new place and make it feel like ‘home’. Decorate your new place to bring out the homely vibes, and bring your favourite things from home as pieces of memories. If you put some effort into revamping your new place, it will feel cosy and put-together, where you can relax during your days off.
Have faith in yourself.
Adjusting to a new culture isn’t easy, but you must have faith in yourself to face challenges head-on. Depend on yourself to take care of your mind, body and health. Give yourself time to understand and accept cultural differences, and most importantly, have patience and trust the process. As they say, difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.
Make new friends
Cut down your screen time and interact more with the people around you. Get off social media, go out and make new friends. Attend and participate in social activities and events happening at your university. Join social clubs, take pictures with your friends, attend parties and gatherings and make the most of your free time.
Keep exploring
There’s more than what meets the eye. You never know what you can find in a foreign land, so never stop exploring. You can learn and experience so much in a new culture. Visit museums, attend workshops, learn about their history, travel, meet new people and make many memories.
Most importantly, it would help if you didn’t rush yourself. Settling in a new place is a big deal and depends entirely on the individual. It might take weeks or even months. Give yourself time to sort things out, and don’t stress trying to fit in. Remember that there’s always someone to lend you their support and assistance if you’re stuck.
|
Talk to an Expert
