Studying abroad comes with the heavy price of living away from family. You don’t need any particular time to yearn for the warmth of your home. In fact, you could be doing the most mundane things at your dorm, and it might trigger a deep longing for your loved ones. For instance, you could be making yourself some noodles, and the next thing you know, you’d remember how much fun it used to be making them with your sister at home.
While holidays usually mean a respite from studies and a journey back home, it may not always be the case. Sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances (flight unavailability, for example), you might not be able to visit home. While homesickness can be a distraction any day, being away from home during holidays, strike a special kind of melancholy.
Holidays or not, homesickness is a major issue for students away from home. According to a survey, nearly half the people admitted being homesick while studying abroad. If you feel the same way, you have two options; be miserable or fight back. Since we don’t want to see you unhappy, here is a guide to surviving the avalanche of emotions – the result of being far from home (we hope Spider-Man reads this too *wink* wink*).
Tips and Tricks to Combat Homesickness
Have a look at these amazing ways to while away the sadness of not being home on holidays (don’t worry, we won’t make you drink Polyjuice Potion on Christmas Day or anything):
1. Explore your new home
If you are stuck at your dorm this holiday season, use it to spend the time a bit differently. Instead of spending your entire time binge-watching your favourite Christmas Hallmark movies, you can go out. We will be optimistic and assume you have a few good friends to keep you company. However, even if it is not the case, you can always go solo.
Take out time from your jam-packed schedule of movies to venture out a bit every evening. Roaming around the neighbourhood will help you get some exercise and some time to think and wonder, which can be quite a treat. Also, seeing the decked-up streets will definitely bring a smile to your face. Check out a nearby café where you can enjoy a book in a cosy corner with a mug of coffee.
There are numerous activities to enjoy. The more you explore, the more you’ll get to know new things. You can even make them a part of your daily routine once the holidays are over. Make a note of all the important shops around your campus, so you know where to go in case of an emergency.
We believe you can even get away with the type of activities that wouldn’t even be allowed otherwise in the dorm. For instance, you can throw a Christmas party of your own and invite all your other homesick buddies. We’re sure they’d love to have some company.
2. Video calls to the rescue
Technology has empowered us to establish communications, no matter where we are. As a result, we don’t have to wait for days or months for letters and other stuff to reach. Instead, you can have your chats and calls in a matter of seconds or minutes (Tom Hanks from Cast Away is confused). Therefore, you can hear the voice of your loved ones and see their faces even from miles apart.
You can share your daily stories with your family and friends right away. You won’t even have to miss an important person’s birthday because of time zones. All you have to do is keep track of the time and call them at 12 a.m. on the dot.
So, if you are feeling lonely on Christmas, hit up your best friend, even if she lives far away. You two can enjoy bickering or bawling while watching the same movie. If not, your family can call you, allowing you to be a part of the family dinner virtually. You may not have your mom’s delicious cookies (unless she has sent you some), but your brother can show you everyone’s priceless expression as they open the presents you have sent them. In this way, you’ll never feel left out of your family festivities.
3. Come up with a routine
Studying abroad means you have to uproot your entire life and continue it elsewhere. Adapting to change is always a challenge. However, if you’ve come this far, you might as well go all the way. Once you feel like you’ve gotten your bearings, you should set out to begin a new life.
But your task would be to change your previous habits one by one to match your new lifestyle. Then, you can slowly and gradually recreate your old routine into a new one. For instance, you can continue to play your favourite sport or go on walks at 5 p.m. every day. In this way, you’ll be incorporating your daily life into new places and experiences.
During your winter holidays, you can experiment with the routine you’ve come up with so far. Ditch the exercise and watch a movie in the cinema, maybe? Pretty sure Christmas movies still look much more dazzling on the big screen. As long as you keep yourself busy, you won’t feel homesick. Distraction is the key to avoiding gloominess in this festive season.
4. The more, the merrier
You ought to keep in mind even if you’re feeling homesick, you won’t be the only one. There will be others like you who’d be missing their homes and their loved ones dearly while studying abroad. Hence, a dorm party might not be such a bad idea. It is the best way to combat your homesickness; find people in the same situation and invite them over.
In this way, you’ll also get to enjoy each other’s company and swap stories. You’ll also get to meet new people and socialise – always a healthy activity unless you are an introvert, in which case, there’s a first time to everything! Make sure to befriend the locals to show you the ins and outs of the new town.
One of the things you’ll miss the most is homecooked food. So why don’t you get yourself invited to your nearest neighbour’s Christmas dinner? All you’d have to do is introduce yourself to them and tell them you’re studying abroad. A small family is likely to welcome you with open arms. What do you know you might even end up becoming fast friends with them?
Once the dinner is over, you can offer to do the dishes or help in setting the table before the serving. You don’t have to be shy to share your feelings with them. They’d be more than willing to hear you out. Moreover, if they have children who need help with academic work, you can payback for their hospitality by offering your assistance. However, if they pursue a specific field like law and you don’t know much about it, you can guide them to a reliable law essay writing service.
5. Schedule some “me” time
Now that you’ve done plenty of socialising over the holidays save the last few days to spend time with yourself. It is time to cleanse yourself of the carbs you gained over the grand dinners. You might have had fried food for consecutive days – after all, it’s natural to resort to comfort food during holiday blues. But it is a good idea to keep yourself in check. Add vegetables and fruits to your diet or cook your meals instead of living on junk and fast food.
Apart from maintaining a balanced diet, ensure good mental health for yourself. You can take out a few hours every day to meditate or, at the very least, try deep breathing exercises in a dimly lit room. This technique can be very calming and enhance your productivity in the long run.
One of the best tactics to keep homesickness at bay is to indulge yourself in a new activity. It can be anything from picking up a new hobby to learning a new language. Of course, you can always volunteer to provide help at an animal shelter or a recreational centre. Although, if you’re a law student, providing homework help online to students in your vicinity is also a brilliant idea.
Word to wise, always try to avoid succumbing to negative feelings because they snowball. If you’re having difficulty distracting yourself, find a comedy or horror movie or any other genre of your preference. You’ll forget all about your issues in a jiffy.
Parting note
Studying abroad and being far from your family on holidays is extremely tough. However, you have to keep in mind, your family would want you to be happy, and they’re with you in your heart, no matter where you go. So, if nothing else, you can always visit them in the next holidays!
