Any tips for avoiding homesickness? This is my first time leaving home for more than 10 days.
I think you just accept that you might feel homesick now and then for the first month or two (or you might surprise yourself and be completely ok!). Try to reach out to others because there are a lot of students in the same boat. When you’re feeling down, don’t sit in your room and dwell on it. Try knocking on a hallmate’s door and ask them to join you for dinner or a snack, or going to your floor/dorm’s common rooms or the Common Center, etc. Seek out other people rather than withdrawing. The beginning of the year is when everyone is open to meeting new people so use that to your advantage. The key is to be patient and give it time. You just have to find your place in a new community and it’s not going to happen overnight. Also, if you’re not sure where to turn, talk to your RA. Or, if you feel really overwhelmed, contact the Student Counseling Center. There is a lot of support at Vandy–don’t hesitate to use it if you need it. Good luck!
Soon freshman will travel 1000 miles with a sac on their back and move into a dorm with a stranger. Most will not know any other students. Your friends and family will be gone and its time to leave the nest and fly. It is stressful and requires a bit of courage. It is a time of adjustment. As noted above everyone is looking to make friends. Introverted students should look as this as an opportunity to grow. Move in day walk up and down your hall. Smile and introduce yourself. Join clubs. Make point to say hello to students seated near you in your classes. Join study groups and go out with other students. While stressful at first most students look back at fall semester freshman year fondly for the new friendships they started. Stay involved and engaged. The more you smile, laugh, and stay positive the easier the transition will be.
Freshman year is a turbulent time for most people as you are “free” of your high school identity…which is a good thing but creates disequilibrium.
When you are a parent many moons from now (ha) you will read parenting books and learn about the importance of disequilibrium for growth…every 18 month old and 4 year old has periods called disqulibrium followed by a period of integration and homeostasis…followed by disequilibrium. Imagine how ambivalent a tot is who has discovered they can walk (away! explore a wider world sans parents) and say NO anytime. These are patterns in life easy to understand when you are a parent. But what about developing the same awareness about being 18-23?
Embracing these tides of life and moving forward will make you a happier more peaceful person. If you feel totally uncertain about your social life, that is normal in a new setting with 1600 over-achievers. One thing I like about Vanderbilt is its fluidity. Yes, it is not as cozy as a liberal arts college…but it is cozy in many pockets and classrooms and it is not claustrophobic. You always have options and new people to meet. If one set of new acquaintances isn’t making you feel less lonesome, stay open with them but look about for more new faces. Get to know the stories of each of your classmates and get to understand their personal brand of disequilibrium. Be part of the day that makes them feel more upbeat and encouraged by your attitude.
Hold onto a good opinion of yourself even when you see your first C or average grades, and even when you are not yet in any close friendships. Hold a high opinion of each professor and each student you meet. You will be amazed how much that sets you on a strong path.
I told each of my sons that managing a quotient of loneliness is part of adult life always. There will always be a few of your classmates who are exuberant and never seem to be insecure at all, but most college students have periods of being lonely and uncertain. Learn to embrace and love the ambiguity as well as the things you can master well. That is why Vanderbilt is not only a place for academic mastery but also a place for the arts in every form. Seek out beauty and art and consider spending spring break on a service project with a crew of Vandy students.
congratulations and best wishes on your journey
OP, I don’t think you will get any better advice than Post#3 from @Faline2 . Embrace this attitude, accept the awkward transitional moments (or weeks) that come. And know that your “tribe” of people are out there at your school. You just have to keep getting involved in different groups/activities until you find them. That may be well into spring semester before you really feel comfortable with yourself and your new friends. And that’s okay.
@Faline2 's advice is always so eloquent and on point! I’d like to mention one other thing that I told my daughter last year. Being alone is not a bad thing now and then. I think she went to college expecting to be surrounded by people every waking moment. I gave her the same advice I offered above–step out of your comfort zone and engage with others. But also, appreciate your down time & alone time. Being able to be alone sometimes and be happy & content with that is a valuable life skill. I don’t want to suggest that you overly embrace the alone-time but find the right balance for your own happiness–don’t be afraid to be alone sometimes (read a book, clear your head, write a letter/email to family/friends back home, take a nap, do whatever YOU like to do). Alone doesn’t have to equal loneliness. 
As with so many things in life, balance is the key and everyone’s balance can be different.