How to deal with homesickness

Homesickness is a feeling of stress or anxiety usually when you're away from home and places that you are familiar with. Feeling homesick is totally normal and affects so many students who move away from home. Rest assured that you're not alone and homesickness is usually very temporary...

It’s fair to say that it can be a lot to adjust to when leaving home and moving into Halls in a new city.

Although it can be tempting to close yourself off, one of the best ways to tackle homesickness is to keep busy and get stuck into as much as possible. At University there are so many new hobbies, clubs, sports and societies that you can try out and these are often the best way to meet likeminded people who share the same interests. Check out Daisy's blog on living in Halls, her experience and advice on making the most of your opportunities. On the flip side, if you need a night off from socialising that's totally ok too!

Take a look on the Guild’s website or Sport Liverpool to see what clubs, societies, activities and events you can get stuck into. Societies and clubs are always welcoming of new members and you don’t need to worry about going alone as you’ll get to meet lots of new people when you join. Your Hall's Student Committee's always welcome new members at any time of the year. If you're interested in joining, get in touch hsc@liverpool.ac.uk. 

Getting out and about isn’t only important when socialising but when studying too. Try to mix up your study space and not stay in your room alone too much as this can be isolating. There are lots of places to study on campus and even in your Halls. On campus you have the libraries and so many cafés. In Halls you’ll have a dedicated study room or area but if you’re unsure, just ask your reception. 

Another way to help settle feelings of homesickness is by making your new living space as comfortable as possible. It can be comforting to have some photos of friends and family and maybe some decorations from your room at home. Don’t worry if you didn’t bring anything as you won’t be short of shops to buy new decorations for your room in Liverpool. Check out our Abi's blog on making your new room your very own sanctuary.

If you find that feeling homesick impacts on your studies, social or personal life and become difficult to manage, just know that support is available to you.

Support

Your Residential Advisers offer support and guidance for students in Halls. RAs also offer an on-call emergency service through the night if you need to pick up the phone. Find out more about your Hall's RAs in your kitchens, corridors and you can find the emergency duty phone number in your handbook here.

The Health Assured team can also help. This is a free, confidential advice line available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (0800 028 3766). Health Assured also offer a translation service. Find out more about Health Assured and their My Healthy Advantage app here.

The University also offer a range of support services for students. If you feel you could benefit from some support, book an appointment online.

You can find other self-help resources here.

Check out our article for tips on looking after your mental health and accessing support.