Although this section refers mainly to settling in at University, the ideas in it can also be applied to your placement. So, if your placement experience isn't all that you hoped it would be, you will find this page helpful. What is Homesickness? Transition to University What might help? Who might help?
What is Homesickness?
Most people will have felt homesick or experience difficulty in settling into a new place at some time in their lives, perhaps when they were younger. It is easy to forget just how overwhelming it can be.
Beginning life at University or on placement naturally generates both excitement and anxiety. For some this apprehension is quickly overcome as they adapt to a new environment, for others the transition takes longer and sometimes emerges as homesickness where there is a preoccupation with home-focused thoughts. There is a yearning for and grieving over the loss of what is familiar and secure. Most often it is about the loss of people, family and friends, but it is also about the loss of places and routines.
Those who experience homesickness might notice an increase in depressed feelings, anxiety, obsessive thoughts and minor physical ailments. Homesickness can often be distinguished from depression in this way. In depression, people find both University and home awful, whereas in homesickness University can feel awful while home may be viewed through rose-tinted glasses.
Research on homesickness amongst British University students shows that 35% of new students experience some homesickness, and that between 5% and 15% describe the experience as frightening.
Some students will start by being mildly depressed and anxious several weeks before leaving home in anticipation of the impending change. Others will be fine initially and then to their surprise find themselves feeling homesick later in the academic year, perhaps after the Christmas break, or even at the start of their second academic year. Generally, it is the first few days or weeks after arriving at University which are the most difficult.
Students are not immune just because they have successfully experienced leaving home before. Vulnerability to feeling homesick is affected by:
• The distance from home
• A possible sense of anticlimax at finally arriving at University after working towards it for so long
• Whether the student was responsible for the decision to come to University
• Unhappiness due to expectations of University not being met
• ‘job strain’ – i.e. Work overload and low control over it
• contrast in lifestyle.
Those who are homesick often feel they have no control over their environment and that they are not identified with it or committed to the University or their place in it.
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Transition to University
There are two tasks involved in starting at University:
1. Leaving familiar things, people and places
2. Adapting to new things, people and places
Individuals have different levels of tolerance to change and have learned different ways of coping with new situations. So what is it that can make the transition so hard? In a familiar place, people generally feel accepted and secure, and are therefore able to function and meet challenges successfully. Away from the familiar, they are without their usual sources of support and in unfamiliar surroundings their tried and tested methods of coping and working are challenged -‘failure’ looms large and self esteem and confidence drops. Tasks which a person would normally take in their stride, can suddenly seem quite a challenge or even feel impossible.
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What might help?
1. Talk to someone. If you have not made friends yet, then talk to your Tutor, University Counsellor, or Chaplain, or someone that you trust at your placement.
2. Keep in good contact with the people you have left behind. Arrange a time to go back to see them, perhaps after a few weeks, but also give yourself time within the University to begin to get involved here. Don’t let looking back actually hinder moving forward.
3. Remember that many other people will be sharing similar feelings although you may assume that they are doing fine! (You can’t read their minds – just as they can’t read yours!)
4. You are allowed to feel sad and homesick! You are also allowed to enjoy yourself, it isn’t being disloyal to those you miss.
5. Be realistic about what to expect form student life and from yourself. Establish a balance between work and leisure. You are NOT expected to work ALL the time – you would soon burn out. On the other hand, if you don’t put in enough time on work you can very quickly get behind, which only adds to the stress.
6. If work is proving too difficult, can you improve your study skills or your organisation of time and work so that you gain satisfaction form what you do? There may be people in your department who can help in this area. Look out for notices advertising the Study Skills Workshops which take place in the Library at lunchtime. The Counselling Services also run workshops on Motivation, Stress Management and related issues. Keep an eye on our Web-site.
7. Remember to get enough food and sleep. These affect us emotionally as well as physically. Exercise too is important.
8. Make contacts and friends through shared activities such as sport and other interests. There are so many clubs and societies within the University that you are very likely to find something that suits your particular interests. At the start of the academic year many new people will be joining - you are unlikely to be the only new person.
9. Give yourself time to adjust, you don’t have to get everything right straight away nor do you have to rush into making major decisions about staying or leaving.
10. Check out that you do really want to be at this University studying this subject at this time. Most people come through times of homesickness and go on to do well and enjoy their time at University, but for some it can be right to leave and take another direction. Those who do leave mostly find another course or University with which they are happy, perhaps after taking a year out. If you are thinking along these lines, you need to take expert advice about the academic career and financial implications. Speak to your Tutor, the Students Advice Centre, University Careers Service and your LEA.
11. If you stop being able to do normal social and academic things, seek professional help either form your doctor or the Counselling Services. Don’t wait until the problems have grown impossibly large!
We do hope that some of these suggestions will prove useful. There are many things you can do to help yourself, but don’t hesitate in seeking out the help of others. Homesickness is not unusual and it can be conquered!
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Who might help?
Below, you will find details of some of the support that is available to you. These people are there to help, so don’t be hesitant about approaching them:
• Other students
• Friends or family
• Tutor or other Departmental Staff
• University Counselling Services (ext: 4711)
• Health Centre Staff (ext: 4406)
• Student Advice Centre (ext: 4848)
• Chaplains (ext: tbc)
• Niteline (Tel: 0121 472 4616)
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If you are on placement, you can contact the Counselling Service either by telephone or e-mail.
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With thanks to the University of Cambridge Counselling Services 1998 who hold the copyright for the substantive text of this leaflet. The information contained in this leaflet is intended to be a guide. It is given in good faith and all reasonable efforts have been taken to ensure accuracy. Aston University shall not be liable for any distress or damage of any kind which is a result of any inaccuracy of the contents of the information in this document.
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E-mail address: counselling@aston.ac.uk
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