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Homesick at uni

I am going to uni this sept in the UK. My family does not live in the UK and due to Covid I won't be able to see them for a year or more. How should I settle into uni without feeling homesick?
Regular video and voice calls should do the trick.
Original post by Anonymous
I am going to uni this sept in the UK. My family does not live in the UK and due to Covid I won't be able to see them for a year or more. How should I settle into uni without feeling homesick?

If you know you are someone prone to homesickness, don't beat yourself up if you find yourself feeling that way. Some strategies you can do are: make your room cosy and decorated with photos, try to find a routine that works for you as quickly as you can (although during Freshers week anything goes, so don't worry if that week feels a bit up in the air), and decide on the frequency of contact you'll have - some people find that contacting their family too often makes them feel more homesick, while others feel better with more frequent contact.
Original post by Anonymous
I am going to uni this sept in the UK. My family does not live in the UK and due to Covid I won't be able to see them for a year or more. How should I settle into uni without feeling homesick?

I suffered from terrible homesickness when I first moved away to university.

I'd second @PhoenixFortune's advice about making your room feel cosy - there are some brilliant shops in the UK that offer relatively cheap cushions, bed linen, throws, and home decor items (check out B&M, Aldi, Home Bargains, and other supermarkets). Plus your university will probably have stalls with posters during Freshers.

Personally I found that not going home too often was more helpful to me that heading home at the first opportunity. I stayed in touch with my family regularly via phone and letter (receiving old-fashioned mail and care packages from home was lovely - much nicer than an email and something to look forward to) but didn't opt to go home as often as I could have done. Staying at university and focusing on my life there - keeping busy, throwing myself into clubs and societies and new friendships - really helped me to combat my homesickness, and I did find it got easier with time.

And yes, don't beat yourself up about it. It's totally normal to feel homesick when you first move away from home - especially if you're moving to another country! I'm sure once you get to the UK, you'll find other students - both home and international students - who feel the same way, so find some people to talk with and don't worry about being honest about how you are feeling. Check out dedicated events for international students during Fresher's Week as well - its a great way of meeting other students in a similar situation, many of whom may also not be heading home during the holidays and term breaks.

Amy Louise :smile:
(edited 2 years ago)
Just get involved with a very full life in the university and everything it offers, find some hobbies to do. Build a social group. Stay active.

Facetime your family.
We had plenty of International Students on our course, you won't be on your own as @Keele Postgraduate has pointed out. Some spent the holidays unable to return home due to Covid but were always busy with others in the same situation.

Try joining some Facebook groups even before you arrive in the UK to help you feel connected to people at your Uni, hopefully this will make this transition process easier as you can arrange to meet with new people as soon as you move into your accommodation.

Hope you enjoy the experience but don't forget to reach out to other in challenging times. :hugs:

Clare
Student Ambassador
Original post by Anonymous
I am going to uni this sept in the UK. My family does not live in the UK and due to Covid I won't be able to see them for a year or more. How should I settle into uni without feeling homesick?

Hi @Anonymous,

I 100% agree with what everyone else has said! Maybe see if you can bring some home comforts with you to uni, like favourite family recipes or food thats okay to pop in your suitcase :smile:

Lucy

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