Written by Caitlin Lyth.
We’re now about to start the fifth week of the academic term and by this time most of us will be feeling at home in Lincoln, within both the campus and the city.
However, for some, a little lingering homesickness is not an uncommon thing.
In fact, it may be around this time – when students start to receive their assessments and/or examination information that many of us may wish for the familiarity and stability of their home and family.
There are plenty of places on campus available to talk to others about it, and you could always have a chat to friends on your course or your roommates. But here are some tips on how you can cope with your homesickness:
1) Call home. Even texting your family can make you feel better, but part of the reason behind your homesickness could be the lack of contact between you and your family.
Being away at university can make you feel separated from events that happen at home; even if they are mundane and happen every week e.g. your sister’s after school dance class. Just knowing what is going on, can make you feel a whole lot better.
2) Visit home – but not too often! It’s great to go home every so often; see family and friends, get some good home cooking in your stomach, with the added bonus of getting your clothes washed!
It is also a good way of separating yourself from the campus for a while – as much fun as it is, the prospect of a chilled out weekend at home is very appealing. But, be careful that you don’t go home too often.
Not only will the travelling tire you out and put a strain on your bank account (depending on how far away you live), always being back at the place you found so hard to leave, is hardly going to make it easier when you go back to University.
3) Stay busy. Even if you have a weekday off, or only have one lecture in the day, get out of your flat! Ring up some friends, and just go for a wander in town.
Explore the shops, go and see the Cathedral (making it up the hill alone gives you bragging rights) and just find ways to occupy yourself. Hopefully, then, by the end of the day you will feel the best kind of tired, and won’t even have to time to think about home.
4) Don’t be afraid to have a bit of alone time. It’s perfectly alright to take half an hour to an hour to find somewhere to be by yourself if you need to. Find somewhere you find relaxing, be it a coffee shop, a library or even your bedroom.
Watch a movie, get started on that book you’ve been meaning to read or even take a nap. It’s very important to get out and familiarise yourself with the new place you live, but there is nothing wrong with having a bit of time to yourself.
5) Do what you find useful! These tips may be useful for some, but everyone has their own individual way of missing home. Do what you are comfortable with, be it talking to someone at the Wellbeing Centre, or taking ten minutes between uni work to check out Twitter. No one knows you better than yourself.
Enjoy your time here, branch out and try new things and make the most of every opportunity you are given!