Homesickness is a common struggle for students and can typically last anywhere from 3 weeks to over a year. While the feeling of missing family, friends, or familiar surroundings might hang around for some time, there are a few supportive steps parents, guardians, and caretakers can engage in when their student is missing home.
Validating your student’s feelings is always going to be the first line of defense. Whether they are home for a holiday break and are resistant to returning or they have been gone for several weeks without a chance to visit, this looks and sounds like, “It must be really hard to be so far from home” or “It sounds like it has been really difficult for you.” The goal is not to solve or fix their feelings, but rather to help your student feel heard with the space to share their frustrations or sadness without judgment.
Redirection is another helpful tool when your student is singing the Homesick blues. Engaging your student in a discussion about events to look forward to on campus or interesting groups to join will allow them to have a healthy distraction from the heaviness of missing home. Breaking up the days and weeks into “manageable” time is another helpful redirection, reminding and celebrating with them when they meet specific milestones (“You’ve been there for 30 days! I am so proud of you!”).
Staying connected is also a supportive aid to minimize the loneliness and anxiety that comes with homesickness, but balance here is key. Having scheduled calls gives them something positive to look forward to and sending care packages, snail mail, photos, or texts throughout the month reminds them they are not alone.
Lastly, remember that as difficult as it is to see or hear your student is emotionally struggling, part of developing a healthy relationship with their emotions means that sometimes they will need to wrestle with the thoughts and feelings that are connected to homesickness in order to overcome them. If it becomes too overwhelming to manage on their own, students can request to meet with a Licensed Professional Counselor through Counseling Services, which are offered free of charge to undergraduate students if they need additional support in navigating these struggles.
-Amy Solman, Director of Health and Counseling Services
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Dec 19, 2023
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