--- title: "Coping With Homesickness" id: "3568" type: "post" slug: "coping-with-homesickness" published_at: "2019-05-07T11:58:42+00:00" modified_at: "2025-11-04T11:04:52+00:00" url: "https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/coping-with-homesickness/" markdown_url: "https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/coping-with-homesickness.md" excerpt: "There is no doubt about it, you are living in exciting times! Starting college, leaving home, moving to a new" taxonomy_category: - "Boston City Campus Blog" --- There is no doubt about it, you are living in exciting times! Starting college, leaving home, moving to a new city, being independent. But come Sunday night, or any night for that matter, you find yourself missing home, your family, your room, your friends… Relax! Nothing is wrong with you… Being away from home and adjusting to college life are stressful changes. But we do have some coping tips for you… **WORK ON MAKING THE UNFAMILIAR, FAMILIAR**A big part of being homesick has to do with being uncomfortable with the unfamiliar. The only way to deal with this is to work on making the unfamiliar, more familiar. Get to know your campus, the surrounding area, and the neighbourhood you live in. The more you start to make and feel that your campus, your home, your neighbourhood belongs to you, the more comfortable you are going to start feeling. **MAKE FRIENDS**Be with people. You probably don’t know many people yet, or those that you have met you aren’t particularly close to, but the point is to have people around and not isolating yourself. Some things you may want to try include: eating meals or watching tv with others, catching a taxi to or from college together, walking to the shops together. **DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE ALONE**Whether or not you have friends to spend time with, it’s also important to have some alone time, during which you can pursue or start new hobbies. Some activities you may want to consider including: exercising, reading, crafts, volunteering. The aim is to strike a balance between having alone time, spending time with friends and studying. Too much of anything is not a good thing. **PHONE HOME**Again, it’s all about balance. It’s important for you to maintain your relationships with your family and friends back home, this will help with missing them less. **STAY POSITIVE**Give yourself time to deal with your homesickness, but don’t let it to consume you – this is a period adjustment, that you will get through. Try to stay positive, set yourself small, realistic goals. **WHAT IF IT’S MORE THAN HOMESICKNESS?** [via GIPHY](https://giphy.com/gifs/home-nostalgia-submission-9BA3huxHFA4eY) It’s rare for homesickness to develop into something more serious, but you know yourself better than anyone else. If you are having serious difficulties with adjusting, you need to ask for help – don’t keep it to yourself. Signs you should be aware of: - Excessive use of alcohol or food - Excessive tv, internet or video game use - Inability to do what needs to be done i.e. attend lectures, attend to personal hygiene etc - Persistent crying *Source*: [https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/coping-with-homesickness/](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/coping-with-homesickness/) [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/coping-with-homesickness/](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/coping-with-homesickness/) [https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.ac.za%2Fblog%2Fcoping-with-homesickness%2F](https://api.whatsapp.com/send?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.ac.za%2Fblog%2Fcoping-with-homesickness%2F) [whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.ac.za%2Fblog%2Fcoping-with-homesickness%2F](whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.boston.ac.za%2Fblog%2Fcoping-with-homesickness%2F) [Newer Time Management: An Introduction](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/time-management-an-introduction/) [Back to list](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/) [Older Student budgeting](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/student-budgeting/) [Close](#) #### Recent Posts - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/one-degree-four-professional-pathways-where-your-boston-bacc-can-take-you/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/one-degree-four-professional-pathways-where-your-boston-bacc-can-take-you/) [One Degree, Four Professional Pathways: Where Your Boston BAcc Can Take You](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/one-degree-four-professional-pathways-where-your-boston-bacc-can-take-you/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/what-actually-changes-after-an-mba/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/what-actually-changes-after-an-mba/) [What actually changes after an MBA?](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/what-actually-changes-after-an-mba/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/what-accredited-actually-means-2026-guide/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/what-accredited-actually-means-2026-guide/) [What “Accredited” Actually Means: A 2026 Guide for Parents and Employers](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/what-accredited-actually-means-2026-guide/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/cogni-enhance-short-courses-child-support/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/cogni-enhance-short-courses-child-support/) [New Cogni-Enhance Short Courses for Parents, Educators & Counsellors](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/cogni-enhance-short-courses-child-support/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/bachelor-of-education-foundation-phase-teaching-2/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/bachelor-of-education-foundation-phase-teaching-2/) [Building Bright Futures with Foundation Phase Teaching](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/bachelor-of-education-foundation-phase-teaching-2/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/higher-certificate-network-systems-practice/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/higher-certificate-network-systems-practice/) [Higher Certificate in Network Systems Practice for Future IT Professionals](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/higher-certificate-network-systems-practice/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/the-future-of-human-resources-are-you-professionally-ready/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/the-future-of-human-resources-are-you-professionally-ready/) [The Future of Human Resources: Are You Professionally Ready?](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/the-future-of-human-resources-are-you-professionally-ready/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/why-supply-chain-management-has-become-a-strategic-degree/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/why-supply-chain-management-has-become-a-strategic-degree/) [Why Supply Chain Management Is Now Central to Business Strategy](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/why-supply-chain-management-has-become-a-strategic-degree/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/why-supply-chain-management-is-now-a-strategic-business-priority/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/why-supply-chain-management-is-now-a-strategic-business-priority/) [The Modern Chain: Why Supply Chain Management Has Become One of the Most Important Degrees of This Decade​](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/why-supply-chain-management-is-now-a-strategic-business-priority/) - [https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/sait-endorsement-boston-accounting-tax-career/](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/sait-endorsement-boston-accounting-tax-career/) [How the SAIT endorsement of Boston Accounting Qualifications Opens New Pathways for Your Career in Tax](https://www.boston.ac.za/blog/sait-endorsement-boston-accounting-tax-career/)