<p>My son is a Freshman at Florida State and is miserable. He is having a difficult time breaking in as he is from out of state and did not know anyone prior to coming to FSU. How can I best help him cope? Any advice from others who are having a hard time adjusting to a large University? My son was very successful in high school and very extroverted with lots of interests so his reaction to college has caught me completely by surprise.</p>
<p>Homesickness can happen to anyone. Typically it is the first time away from home and all of a sudden you have to make new friends and are totally out of your comfort zone. How is he getting along with his roommate? Have classes started yet? I would suggest that he tries to find people with similar interests, his major - join some clubs or service organizations. That way he stays busy, meets people and the time will go faster and he will not think about all that he is missing at home. Just be sympathetic but don’t give in. My DD was in India this summer and became really ill from the anti-malaria medicine she was taking and was miserable. She was far away from home, sick, and totally having culture shock. I had to stand my ground and tell her just to take it day by day and enjoy the experience. It was so hard. She lost about 12 lbs in 4 weeks. Anyway, I just told her she could not come home and to make the best of it. Not easy to say and not easy for her to do but she got better and stayed for the duration and loved it. Hopefully your son can make some friends soon. Tell us more about the situation and what he is doing on a day to day basis to help it. It just can consume a person and hard to understand for those who have not been through it.</p>
<p>It can sometimes be harder on the kids who loved high school than on the ones who did not. Expectations run higher for those who had it all already. They’ve had friends since they were small and they haven’t had to be new yet, to introduce themselves, etc. making new friends and settling in takes time. Tell him to join some intramurals, clubs, and give himself a break. He’ll figure it out and find his spot. Tell him to go to the library to study. To not sit in his room. Etc. big schools have the advantages and disadvantages But it can be more challenging in the beginning. Good luck to you both!</p>