Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Dealing with homesickness
• Method 2 of 3: Build a new social foundation
• Method 3 of 3: Learning to deal with homesickness properly

Homesickness is an inevitable part of leaving home, especially if this is your first time. Still, the emotional distress associated with homesickness will have to be taken seriously. If you are homesick, recognize the meaning of what you are feeling and why. Accept the fact that adapting to a new environment is challenging and it takes time to make new friends. As your new life develops, you will need to decide on a few active steps you can take to get rid of homesickness.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Dealing with homesickness

1. Enjoy your freedom. This may sound like terrible advice, but having fun is the best way to get rid of homesickness. Moving to a new place gives you the chance to choose how you want to spend your free time. Focus on yourself; it is important to do this occasionally, and a new place provides the perfect opportunity to do so. Tricks for enjoying an independent life include:
   • Exercise. Every day, get your heart rate up whichever way you prefer. Jogging is a great way to get a personal view of your new neighborhood. In this way you get to know your new environment and it makes you feel better.
   • Carry something to keep you busy. If you keep a log, always take it with you. Or a book or magazine. Reading and writing are great ways to engage your mind as well as express your thoughts.
   • Do that thing you've always wanted to do. Parachuting. Or, if this suits your pace better, go to an art museum. Think back to the last time you thought, "I'd like to try that." Whatever it was, here's your chance!
2. Just accept a positive mindset. Don't confuse being alone in a new place with automatic loneliness. There is no rule that being alone means feeling lonely. Remind yourself of this out loud if you have to. Other helpful things to tell yourself are:
   • My time alone is only temporary.
   • Maybe I want to be somewhere else today, but things will get better here.
   • Everyone feels lonely from time to time.
   • I am strong and creative enough to spend some time alone.
   • There are people in this world who care about me no matter how far they are away.
   • I'm on my own for a while now, and that might be something I should be doing more often.
3. Find alternatives to the pleasant things from your previous hometown. If you lack the familiarity of your favorite coffee shop at home, or are worried about finding a mechanic you can trust, think about what it was like about those places you liked so much. Go out and look for similar versions of these places in the city where you live now. Searching for something like a new favorite coffee shop will make it clearer which places you like to be.
   • For example, you may realize that most of all you need natural lighting to focus and the coffee shops you've been going to since your move were darker than you were used to. If you find a sunny, well-lit spot with a similar vibe to the spot you're missing, this could become a new favorite. In addition, searching allows you to get to know many baristas (who can be great sources of local knowledge) and see some new neighborhoods!
   • Understand that getting comfortable living in a new city requires a lot of knowledge about that place. Explore and immerse yourself in what the new place has to offer - including the myriad of new workout options, restaurants, nightlife and public transport. You will notice that you will compare this with what you are used to. This will make you more comfortable in your new city and provide you with equivalents to the places you enjoyed the most in your previous hometown.
4. Schedule specific days when you will contact home. Make a note of a specific day, once a week, to call home. While this may make you feel like it's not enough, it gives you the time and space to start developing a new social network in your new environment.
5. Have some reassuring belongings around you. Even if it is only subconsciously, memories of places and people you miss will make you more comfortable. Even if memories of your home unleash a twinge of desire in you, the reassurance of familiar items will make you more comfortable where you are now. Place photos of friends and family or items from your room at home where you often see them.
6. Write an old-fashioned letter! Write a letter to a close friend you haven't spoken to in a while. This will mean a lot to the recipient, and you will be surprised how much you enjoy writing a letter by hand. If the friend is willing, try to keep writing each other over and over again. One letter a month is enough to keep in touch, it is a way to put your thoughts on paper, and it gives you something of the other to look forward to.
7. Have something to look forward to. Looking forward to something keeps you in a positive frame of mind. If you have a strong desire to go home and are able to visit, plan a trip in advance. Until then, this will calm you down, give you something to look forward to and provide you with a dose at home.

Method 2 of 3: Build a new social foundation

1. Know that people are more difficult to replace than places. At some point you will find a new hairstylist. Finding new friends, however, is clearly more difficult. Allow yourself to miss the people who made your life so enjoyable before the move - and recognize that there are no perfect equivalents for those people anywhere in the world. Don't let this affect the quality of your life in your new home.
   • Recognize that a new city can offer not only new friendships, but whole new networks and communities to dive into. Do not hesitate to do this. If you miss one or two people in particular, call them that same night to tell them what you did that day. You'll find that you have more things to talk about - and have more positive, mutually enjoyable conversations - when you have new, exciting experiences to talk about!
2. Get to know people where you are. While you may not expect this, there are groups of people everywhere who would love to meet you wherever you have moved. Whether based on shared experiences or interests, find people who come together based on shared criteria. For instance:
   • If you've studied at a major university and moved to a major city, there are likely to be alumni gatherings. If a short search does not return any results, contact the alumni center and they will be able to tell you if there is an organized alumni group in the new city.
   • If you have moved to another country, look for fellow countrymen who have also moved there.
   • Be impulsive. There are a number of large websites that have been set up purely for the purpose of organizing meetings based on interests or even for casual social interaction. Check out Meetup and Reddit which both have platforms for people in cities around the world to meet.
3. Accept invitations. If someone invites you, go! Don't worry about instantly befriending everyone you meet. You will likely meet plenty of people with whom you will not develop further friendships. You can still enjoy interacting with each other and the more people you meet, the easier it will be for you.
4. Throw a dinner and make something you used to get at home. This is a great opportunity to surround yourself with familiar smells and flavors from home, while building real relationships with people in your new life. Friendship based on a shared meal predates the written word. Invite people you want to get to know better to have a meal together. Talk about your old home in the home that you are now developing.
5. Volunteer. Volunteering will immerse you in a new community, which can lead to new social connections and provide you with a sense of belonging in a new city. Whatever your interests, you can find an opportunity to volunteer and meet people who are similarly interested in contributing to this world.
6. Surround yourself with other people. Get among the people. There are many ways to exercise more socially in a simple and relaxed way. If you are a student, realize that this is the time in your life when you have unlimited opportunities to meet people and join new groups. If you need help with this, consider the following options:
   • Look up a list of student organizations. Universities make these available on their websites.
   • Find a campus diary. Chances are you will attend events that you never suspected existed. Universities are incredible places to experience all kinds of creative expression, from music to comedy. There is almost always something going on that interests you.
   • Enter a recreational competition. This will immediately immerse you in a new community, and will likely lead to new friendships.
   • When eating, especially in an area where others are in a similar situation (such as a cafeteria or dining room), ask to be seated at an occupied table if there is a seat available, and say hello to everyone sitting there .

Method 3 of 3: Learning to deal with homesickness properly

1. Understand where homesickness comes from. If you are no longer living at home, especially for the first time - perhaps because of college or because you joined the military - you will soon begin to miss the aspects of your past life. Realize that the lack of the people and places where you felt safe, loved, and secure can have an immense impact on your state of mind. The desire for home is the expression of the desire for the comfort and security to which you have been accustomed, including routine and a sense of social belonging.
2. Know that homesickness will come and go. Like all emotions, the weight of the feelings associated with homesickness will vary. Don't be surprised by unexpected moments of sadness and longing for home. These are completely normal feelings. Your mind (and your body) is simply responding to a significant change in your environment.
3. Don't be surprised by the power of your emotions. Homesickness can have serious consequences for your mind and body. Seek professional help if you feel unstable or deeply sad. In particular, be aware of the increase in the following:
   • Fear.
   • Sadness and nervousness.
   • Obsessive preoccupation with thoughts of home.
4. Tell someone how you feel. Whether you have just started college, moved to another part of the country for a new job, or deployed on a military mission, there will always be someone you can speak to about that transition. Even if you don't know anyone to talk to, you can still pick someone who has lived somewhere on their own before. Not acknowledging how you feel can lead to long-term or severe homesickness.
5. Think about the situation. Ask yourself, "What am I actually missing?" Be aware of the possibility that you are just missing your old self and not used to this new version that you are becoming. New situations often involve deep self-reflection, and with it some meaningful realizations, which will contribute significantly to your growth and maturity.