Families & Visitors
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"I'm Homesick"
Those can be tough words to hear, yet it’s a reality that some students may be missing home and the people who populate that part of their world. Here are a few ways to respond…
“Have you reached out?” Sometimes one of the best ways for any of us to get outside of our sorrows and ourselves is to reach out to others. For college students, this can be as simple as asking someone to lunch in the dining hall, saying hello in class or volunteering through the community service office.
“Who is a trusted faculty/staff person you can talk with about this?” We all need sounding boards, especially those who understand what college students are going through and who want to help. Luckily, your student is surrounded by these folks, from coaches to professors to club advisors, residence hall staff, campus ministers, counselors and more.
“What have you been doing outside of class?” Students who just go to class and don’t engage through other activities will likely feel homesick because they haven’t developed a sense of campus belonging. It can start with little things: attending a club interest meeting, working on a service project, going to a concert, saying “yes” when an RA rounds up a group to go to dinner…
“Who and what are you missing?” Sometimes students just need to lay it all out there, to identify where their homesick feelings are coming from so they can then address them. Asking a few questions in this vein can help your student get to that point, so you can then help her figure some ways to face the issues, head on!
If you suspect that your student is experiencing more than just homesickness – whether it’s anxiety, depression or something else – encourage him to seek help on campus. There are plenty of good people here who are eager to help.
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