Tips to Help You Deal with Homesickness While Studying Abroad
One of
the most significant challenges that people abroad face, especially those
living abroad for the first time, is homesickness. Homesickness is the
feeling to be surrounded by friendly and familiar things or to be home. Typical
symptoms of this can be a lack of appetite, sadness, and anxiety. And the
reason for this is simply the loss or absence of familiarity. Going to an
international destination for higher studies comes with lots of challenges –
language barriers, different eating habits, cultural differences, and unknown
environments. GEMS Group Services is here to tell you what it is, and how to
cope.
1. Make new
friends
One of
the main reasons most people feel lonely when they travel abroad for extended
durations is the lack of company or a close circle of individuals they can talk
to. Making new friends can be a solution to this. At school, you will most
likely be in a close contact with several classmates, some of whom may be age
mates for that matter. A good number of them will most likely share your likes
and dislikes, which will create an opportunity to bond and cultivate friendship
as you study together, and hang out, and watch movies in the company of each
other.
While
your folks at home cannot be replaced by classmates, friends definitely will
make sure that you do not feel lonely. What’s more, you also get people to bank
upon in difficult times. What this will do is to help you develop a new
familiar circle that you can rely on in the time of need. Essentially, you will
be making yourself a new home, which can (at least temporarily) help diminish
reduce the emotional attachment you have for your actual home.
2. Video calling
with friends and family
If you want to overcome
homesickness and the nostalgic feeling, then make sure that you try to connect
with your family and friends on a video call. But don’t always count on video
calls and your family to make you feel over the moon.
Make sure that you
adopt a new and exciting lifestyle and make time for things that don’t involve
your family. We are not saying that you should cut off from your family and
friends. What we are saying is that your entire focus should be on your current
life and how you should strive hard to achieve your academic goals.
3. Explore the
city you are living in
You often feel
homesick because you are not quite familiar with the people and places.
Everything is new for you and you are not ready to accept the reality, hence,
you stay in your room and choose to miss your family and feel nostalgic about
the past. Here is a reality check for you: Thing can never get back to how they
used to be until you go back to your family and friends. The best way to deal
with the feeling of homesickness is to explore the entire city on your own or
along with your roommates so that you can appreciate the beauty of that place.
While exploring, you will definitely come across some places that will
eventually become your favourite spots and you will visit them more often. Once
you find such spots, you will feel more like being at home.
4. Take out some time for exercise and
meditation
Staying
away from home also means you might not have the people around who can care for
you when your health is down. This makes it even more important to take proper
care of your body and overall health. You will want to adopt ways to boost your
immunity, maintain your fitness levels, and keep your body strong. And higher
chances are that you know by now, that nothing keeps your mind, body, and
spirit stronger than exercise! Lift weights, use the treadmill, go for morning
jogs, and do whatever it is that you have to do to maintain a healthy weight
and stay fit.
Going for
a morning walk or run or doing some meditation is the best way to deal with
homesickness and understand the surroundings better. These activities will also
help you relax your mind and make you feel great.
5. Consider working part-time
Being a student, especially
abroad can be expensive. It may not always be practical to fall back on your
parents to fund or sponsor your leisure activities, while they are already
bearing the education costs. So why not explore a bit of part-time work to
boost your wallet size? Not only will you earn something to afford a more
comfortable life, but it can allow you to develop some presentable skills when
juggling between work, study, and personal activities.
While at it, you will also
develop a sense of professionalism become more responsible as you get to
understand what it’s really like to sweat for a living. Moreover, it has been
proven that most employers today prefer hiring individuals with some work
exposure, including working part-time while studying. Additionally, you’ll have
the opportunity to meet new people and cultivate professional relationships
while working part-time. Most importantly, occupying your mind with
work-related issues can help keep your homesick feelings at bay.
6. Get support & get
Involved
The more places
you go and the more things you do, the more people you will meet. Get involved
in your favourite activity or try out a new one. Ask how different offices and
committees support that helps in positive learning and well-being and that’s
how you can deal with homesickness when studying abroad.
7. There is no need
to be isolated
You should not
isolate yourself in a dorm room and just watch movies or TV shows. Instead, you
should try to step out of your room and be a part of parties or events that you
have been invited to. Going out and having fun at parties is the best way to
stop being secluded. This way, you will not only feel confident but also
chances are, you will find a bunch of people who have similar interests as you.
So, make sure you go out when needed. You don’t necessarily have to wait for an
invitation to have fun at parties. You can plan a small get together on your
own with your roommates or colleagues so that you can know them better.
8. Journal your gratitude movements
There will be
challenges and emotions that roll up , and will often end with leaving some
scars of bitter experience that will a scar in your life So what’s the best way
to counter the negative emotion is to avoid that path of regrets and choose to
have positive affirmation on well-being and choosing something to replace with
good seeds of happy movements to be noted down.
Keeping a record
of things that make you smile will provide you with incontestable proof that
there are positive aspects to where you live.
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