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More Than Just Homesick: How to Navigate the Transition to College

More Than Just Homesick: How to Navigate the Transition to College
More Than Just Homesick: How to Navigate the Transition to College

Graduating from high school and starting college is a huge milestone in a young adult’s life. The closing of one chapter and opening of another brings with it a lot of excitement and endless opportunities for growth, but it can also be scary and overwhelming.

It’s normal to have mixed feelings about starting college. You’re in charge now, and while that freedom is exciting, it also comes with a lot of new responsibilities and challenges. With preparation and support, you can embrace your new freedom and learn to thrive. Below you’ll find some tips to help make the transition from high school to college a little bit easier.

Validate what you’re feeling

Once you have moved into college and your parents say goodbye, you might be hit with a wave of homesickness and other emotions. In fact, research suggests that 94% of college students experience homesickness during their first 10 weeks of school.

Experiencing all of these emotions can be overwhelming, which is why it’s important that you take the time to acknowledge what you are feeling. Make time to check in with yourself and validate that what you’re feeling is completely normal. Adjusting can take time, so be patient and don’t forget to be kind to yourself during this period.

Establish a new routine

Part of what makes this transition so overwhelming is that you are leaving a routine you’ve known your whole life and starting at a new place where there’s no one to tell you what to do or when to do it. One of the biggest things that will help ease your transition to college is establishing a new routine.

In addition to your classes, there are a few other things you want to make sure you incorporate into your day-to-day:

  • A healthy sleep routine: Late night study sessions might cause your sleep schedule to get out of whack. It’s important to establish and stick to a healthy sleep routine that includes time to relax before bed, and a sleep environment that is supportive of quality rest (dark, quiet, and cool). Sticking to a regular bedtime and wake up time each morning helps train your body and brain to get used to a helpful rhythm. Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night to ensure you feel rested and ready for all that college has to offer the next day.
  • Eating healthy: Take advantage of what your college dining hall or other eateries have to offer. Aim for regular, balanced meals to keep your energy and focus up. Try to include proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your meals. Avoid late-night eating when possible.
  • Regular exercise: Staying active has many health benefits including improving your mental health, enhancing your cognitive function, building social connections, and more. You can join a club sport, use the campus gym, go for a walk, or even take an activity-based course for academic credit. Find a physical activity that you enjoy and work it into your new daily routine to stay active.
  • Self-care: Don’t forget to take time to engage in other types of self-care, such as taking breaks during your day to relax, engaging in hobbies, practicing mindfulness, and spending time with friends. The key is to preserve time for you to de-stress.

Get involved

In a new environment that feels unfamiliar, you may be tempted to stay in your dorm. However, spending too much time alone in your dorm can worsen feelings of isolation. To help combat this, get out of your dorm and get involved. One of the many benefits of attending college is the wide array of activities you can get involved in. Think about what you like to do or want to try but never had the opportunity to before. Maybe you enjoy writing and want to join the newspaper, or you like to sing and are interested in joining an acapella group. There are so many options you can choose from, including:

  • Affinity groups for different races, ethnicities, religions, or sexual orientations
  • Sororities or fraternities
  • Fitness and wellness clubs
  • Student government or other types of activism
  • Arts and performance groups
  • Intramural sports teams
  • Academic clubs
  • Media and publication groups

Many colleges hold involvement fairs where you can walk around and get information on the different types of clubs available to help you decide which you want to try. Start with one or two and see how you like them. Try not to join too many to avoid becoming too busy and overwhelmed. You can always join other clubs at a later time.

Stay connected — with balance

If you are feeling home sick, you might feel tempted to go home frequently or reach out to your family and friends too much. Although this may feel comforting in the short term, going home every weekend and staying in constant contact with friends and family from home can intensify homesickness. These actions can also rob you of opportunities to build new connections on campus and feel more at ease at college. Instead, challenge yourself to stay on campus, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. Also, set specific days and times when you will call or talk via FaceTime with friends and family from home. Having set times can help you manage the wait and, more importantly, give you the chance to explore new spots, build new bonds and enjoy new activities at college. Some additional ways of staying connected (with balance) include:

  • Hanging up pictures and other mementos from home in your dorm room
  • Introducing your new friends to your favorite activities, hobbies, and snacks from home
  • Scheduling video calls to give your family a tour of your dorm, or showing your high school friends your favorite spot on campus

Seek help if things get difficult

If you are still experiencing homesickness or other difficult emotions after several weeks, it can be helpful to reach out to a mental health professional for help. Your campus health center or counseling center is a great place to start to find out what options are available to you on campus. If you saw a therapist at home, you can check if they see patients virtually so you can keep seeing them. You can also reach out to the Center for Youth Mental Health at NewYork-Presbyterian to connect with a professional and find other resources to help make the transition to college easier to manage.

Remember, the transition to college is a marathon, not a sprint. You will have great days and some challenging ones, and that's all part of the experience. Be patient with yourself as you build your new routine, explore new interests, and find your community. By validating your feelings, taking care of yourself, and reaching out for support when you need it, you're setting yourself up to thrive in this exciting new chapter of your life.