On a scale of one to 10, how would you rate yourself on college preparedness? I’m sure most of you are giving yourself an 11 and can’t wait to start living the “college dream.” But, no matter how ready you think you are, when you actually start participating in the day-to-day of college life, those prepared feelings sometimes turn into feeling just plain scared. Before your arrival at school, you might want to consider how you will handle any ill feelings that arise before they turn into full blown homesickness.
Being homesick is nothing to be ashamed of, but it has to be dealt with. Trying to ignore feeling overwhelmed and missing the comforts of home isn’t healthy and, in the end, will negatively affect your college experience. As someone who has been there and done that, I can tell you with certainty that making a trip home every weekend is not the way to handle being homesick. In the short term, you will feel better, but in the long run, you will hurt any chance you have of making real friendships and memories at school.
Take pride in your school and be passionate about getting involved there. Bleed your school colors and get connected on campus by joining a club or participating in club sports. Make an effort to attend any campus event you can fit into your schedule. You can even try making a deal with yourself to stay on campus for a few weekends in a row and if you successfully meet your goal, you can reward yourself with a trip home. Most likely, by that time you will be having so much fun enjoying your new friends and activities that you probably won’t even want to leave.
The point is, you can’t be an active participant in your college experience if you aren’t there, so commit yourself to having a full, well-rounded college career. Enjoy every benefit your institution has to offer because these years will fly by before you know it. Trust me, you will soon be standing at the end of your four years looking back on positive and unforgettable memories. Don’t miss out!