Homesick

I’m leaving for my second semester tomorrow, and I won’t be able to come home for 8 weeks!!! Idk how I’m going to last that long and I’m under a lot of separation anxiety and sadness right now. Please help!!

Commit to use some of the time to do something new and something for you. My D recently learned that by working out first thing in the morning, no matter how early, regardless of how the rest of the day goes, she has done something good for herself. If you find some goal that takes 8 weeks to do, whether it is working out, changing up a diet, joining a new activity/club, start yoga, go to all the free college sponsored activities you can find - it will be fun to see where you are in 8 weeks and keep your mind off of being homesick. Home will be there, enjoy this adventure while you can. Someday you will likely be sitting in an office or who knows where, and think, “Man, college was great, wish I was back there.” So be in the moment, enjoy where you are.

Great advice!

This is normal. Learning to cope with all of the emotions involved with gradually moving toward independent adulthood isn’t easy (even though you may think others don’t feel what you feel). It is a process, not a discrete event. Accept that you feel horrible about it rather than fight your feelings. Do something pleasurable when you get through the first day back such as have an ice cream or just pop popcorn and watch a movie you love. Take one day at a time. Have a text time with your Mom each day. Follow @CADREAMIN’s advice. Eight weeks will pass and you’ll look back positively on surviving it. You can do this.

Also your campus counseling center may have a support group or program for homesick students.

Excellent suggestion from @CADREAMIN . Also, why dwell on what hasn’t even happened yet? Find something practical to dwell on that has a postive outcome: "In 8 weeks, I will be well into the semester so I should ensure that I get all the things in order that I need to focus on for maintaining my grades, working on summer research apps or jobs, sorting out next year’s housing, coming up with a study plan, making sure I don’t miss out on fun campus events, and so on…

8 weeks isn’t that long, tbh. When I’m missing my college daughter, I realize that by the time I think I can’t stand not seeing her for one more day, I realize she’ll be home in just a few weeks. Your home isn’t going anywhere. You will be fine.

Sooo normal. It gets better over time. You slowly start to associate your school and the surrounding area as more familiar and “home”. My introvert D took 2 years to get to that point. Keep busy, set up some good routines for yourself (exercise, going to movies or treating yourself when you are having a tough day) - that 8 weeks will fly by.