Hi there!
I am currently studying abroad in London under LC’s England: Fine Arts program, and I’m so excited to be able to share with all of you the wonderful adventures that I get up to while abroad. Check out some of my other blogs to learn more about the program, the logistics of going abroad, and life as a study abroad student!
If you are someone who’s studying far from home, you’ll know that homesickness is the real deal. Even if you aren’t too far away, the transition of studying and living someplace new can be jarring. While I moved halfway across the country to attend college, it was nothing compared to moving halfway around the world for a semester. I want to talk a little bit about homesickness, what you can do to combat it, and how sometimes it just sucks.
(I’m going to preface this with the fact that I am living in an English-speaking country that has a culture very similar to that of the United States. Having lived and traveled to countries that speak different languages and have vastly different cultures, my experience in London is not the same as the experience one might get on a different program in a different country, especially those looking to do a language intensive program. Cultural and linguistic immersion is exhausting and should not be overlooked. )
For me, homesickness isn’t something that hits right away. I often find myself getting wrapped up in classes, or trying to be social, that I don’t give myself the time or space to think about my emotions. Particularly at the beginning of this semester, I was so busy that I didn’t have the capacity to deal with the emotional side of living abroad.
I tend to notice homesickness once my schedule calms down and I’ve adjusted to my routine and the new place I’m living. Moving to Portland wasn’t extremely difficult in terms of homesickness, especially thanks to the community on campus, but it was still hard to find myself uprooted and in a place that I knew nothing about. I didn’t know how to get around, or even where I could go if I wanted to have a nice time off-campus. I didn’t know the neighborhoods, or the public transportation system, or even how the Pio worked. Learning these things helped me feel like I was really a resident of the city, and I’d recommend it if you’re struggling with how to better feel a part of the community.
Moving to London was much more overwhelming. First of all, London is enormous. I went from isolating and trying to avoid contact with people due to COVID, to being shoved in the middle of this huge metropolitan center where it was essentially impossible to avoid others. Also, the COVID restrictions in London were, and still are, much more relaxed than they were in Oregon. I am grateful that I chose an English speaking program, because I think I would have been totally and completely overwhelmed if I also had to deal with reading and speaking a new language.
(To those international students who did this upon moving to the US to attend LC, props to you!)
My homesickness really started to kick in around a month into the semester. Things had calmed down and I found myself trying really hard to connect with people back in the States. This became the hardest barrier for me, as the time difference between the UK and the West Coast made it very difficult to talk to my friends from campus and my family. I have very slim windows of time when I can speak to them, and it is by far the most difficult challenge when it comes to managing my homesickness.
For those of you without time-difference barriers, I recommend calling/texting your old support system as much as possible. It’s a great way to remind yourself of home, of your connections, and that you are not alone. If you have the same problem I do, take the time to find the slots of time that do work for you and your friends/family. It will be worth it. Email has also been a great way for me to keep in contact in a passive way that is easy for all parties.
Another thing I’d recommend is eating food that reminds you of home. It was really great for me to find restaurants or grocery stores that sold food that was of my own culture, which in turn reminded me of my parents and my community.
Lastly, my favorite remedy for homesickness is just getting outside. Go touch some grass. Look at the sky. It always calms me down, especially in a massive urban space like London, and it’s a good way to get yourself moving and you may even begin to appreciate the new place you find yourself in.
Never feel afraid to reach out to your support system. This includes people like RAs, counselours, or even professors. There will be people in your university or program whose job it is to make sure you are doing alright, and taking advantage of this resource is an important way to make sure you enjoy your time to the fullest.
But sometimes that feeling of homesickness just doesn’t go away, and it sucks. It’s okay for your experiences in college and studying abroad aren’t always exciting and happy. There are downsides to moving away, and it’s alright if things are a little muddled for a while. You’ll get the hang of it.
