Five signs of homesickness

Homesickness can feel overwhelming and stressful, like moving from a familiar old neighbourhood to a new city or from a small primary school to an unfamiliar and noisy high school.

Here are five of the common signs you’re experiencing homesickness:

1. Frequent thoughts of home: You constantly think or worry about your family, friends or routine.
2. Feeling overwhelmed: New environments can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of stress, anxiety or even physical symptoms like nausea. Headaches, bouts of tears and low self-esteem are also signs of homesickness.
3. Difficulty sleeping: Changes in sleep patterns and moods are common when adjusting to a new place. You might feel angry or nervous and toss and turn in your sleep.
4. Loss of appetite or concentration: Homesickness can affect your eating habits, leading to a loss of appetite or overeating.
5. Feeling isolated: You may feel lonely or disconnected from others and want to withdraw from the community in your student residence.

Tips for overcoming homesickness

Eventually, experiencing and overcoming homesickness will make you more resilient – but for now, here are some tips that can help you overcome homesickness and make the most out of your university experience.

• Stay busy: Keeping yourself occupied can help distract you from missing home. Join the many clubs, societies or cultural or language groups on the Australian National University (ANU) campus, find a part-time job or volunteer with the ANU+ program. Connecting with others can help you build a sense of belonging.
• Explore local attractions: Discover 8 things you didn’t know about Canberra or head to one of the national attractions like Questacon or the National Museum of Australia. While you’re feeling homesick, or to prevent it, try out the local clubs and markets or hire a Go Boat on Lake Burley Griffin with friends. Participating in activities you enjoy can help you meet new people and feel more connected.
• Create a comfort zone: Decorating your dorm room with photos, lights, plants, or even spraying scents that remind you of home can make it feel more like home. Try to meet new people and build friendships by attending social events hosted by your student residence, such as friendly soccer or frisbee competitions, pizza and pasta nights or joining study groups.
• Connect and share your adventures: Keep in touch with your family and friends through regular texts or video chats. Share photos and stories of university adventures on your Instagram or TikTok feeds.
• Take care of yourself: Discover ways to prioritise your physical and mental health for free. Make sure you eat well, exercise regularly and practice mindfulness techniques like meditation and deep breathing to help manage stress and anxiety. When you're feeling overwhelmed or depressed, seek help from a mental health professional like a counsellor or doctor or call a 24-hour crisis line. You can drop into the medical centre on the ANU campus, book online or call and make an appointment.
• Embrace the experience: Remember that homesickness is a normal part of the transition to university life and it’s temporary. Embrace the opportunity to grow.

A student’s experience of living on the ANU campus

Emma Spinks, a descendant of the Palawa people of Iutruwita (Tasmania), is completing a Bachelor of Political Science at ANU. She spent her first year on campus living in Kinloch Lodge.

“The primary rewards of living in a student residence were the convenience of getting to campus, having more space to myself and the opportunity to cook my own meals and meet people I had never met who became my biggest support system,” says Emma.

“Being a part of the residential community has brought many perks, including social events like formal dinners, mixers and so on, as well as wellbeing support like puppy playdates and care packs handed out during exam week.”

Homesickness builds resilience

We don’t want you to worry too much about getting homesick when you head to uni. If you deal with it well, you’ll realise you can address complex challenges and devise solutions. Now that we think about it, that is what university (and life) are all about.

Our ultimate tip for combatting homesickness: It’s hard to prepare for, but when it strikes, push on: the only way is through!