Remember, if you feeling homesick it’s completely normal. So if your currently battling the ups and downs will soon settle into your new way of life in the coming weeks – be patient and you’ll adjust to your first or subsequent years of study and just know that you are not alone in this struggle, also there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
If there was ever a time in your life when expectations vs reality felt the most applicable, then now may well be the case of the humble university experience. While some will thrive with university life – with the 3 for £10 jager bombs – but it’s fair to say that a mixture, of a lack of routine, super noodles for dinner and homesickness can soon take it troll on your mental health and physical wellbeing, which can result in your feeling demotivated at your best and feeling overwhelmed at your worst. But always remember to give yourself some time, you will soon feel settled and love living by your own rules.
While you are at school, you know where to be, at what time and where to eat but at university, you’ll have a lot more freedom and this can be a big transition for some people, which can cause them to feel very unsettled. It’s still also an exciting time to develop your new routine, try out new things and create your own rules and structure that work best for you. So please be kind to yourself and give yourself a break. You might be surprised at just how many people find the first few weeks and months hard, but as time passes the excitement about this whole new adventure will start to kick in and you will start to feel better – just remember that homesick is completely normal and you’re not alone.
If you’re worried about being homesick, then you may benefit from bringing a few items from the home to a university with you – giving you a feeling of closeness to your family. Also staying in contact with family and friends back at home via video calls and social media can help a lot too.
If you struggle with your mental health – be it a diagnosed condition or low mood – it can be difficult to manage when you’re away from your usual support system and home comforts, but knowing that you can turn for a dose of comfort, help and guidance may be the kind of reassurance that you need in times of panic or overwhelming situations.
Here in the UK, universities provide a supportive environment and most offer counselling or mental health support, or both. So if you’re struggling or if you’ve arrived at uni with a mental health condition, then make sure to contact the Student Support. Please don’t suffer in silence.
Reminders if you’re stuggling at university:
- I deserve to take care of myself
- I take things one day at a time
- I am safe to experience new things
- This feeling is not permanent
- You are qualified to be there and you deserve the space to grow
- I’m ready and very capable of handling all that life throws at me
Another way that could help you look after yourself at uni is to maintain a so-called ‘healthy lifestyle’, as it’s thought the be one of the best ways to manage your mental health, especially during huge milestone moments -like moving away to university- but it’s still often worth noting that it’s easier said than done to take up this approach when life is feeling rather hectic. However, at times when it feels as though your brain is working against you, then self-compassion is key and creating a safe space for yourself to feel the spectrum of emotions that come with new chapters and not judge yourself for it.
Don’t be afraid of reaching out to your local well-being team, and remember you are worthy of seeking support. Here are a couple of useful resources for finding support for both parents of those at university ‘friends‘, as well as yourself ‘student minds‘.
Do you have any other techniques or advice that I haven’t mentioned in this post, then feel free to share them via Instagram or in the comments…
