Dealing with Homeskickness During Your Exchange Year
Homesickness is one of those things that almost every exchange student faces at some point. It doesn’t matter how excited you were before you left or how much you love your host country—there will be moments when you miss home. And that’s completely normal.
What Does Homesickness Feel Like?
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Why Does It Happen?
You’re adjusting to a new culture, a new routine, and possibly even a new language. That’s a lot! Missing home is just part of your brain trying to find comfort in something familiar. It’s also a sign that you have strong connections back home, which is actually a good thing. It means that you have meaningful relationships and experiences that matter to you. The key is finding ways to balance those feelings while allowing yourself to fully experience your new environment.
You’re adjusting to a new culture, a new routine, and possibly even a new language. That’s a lot! Missing home is just part of your brain trying to find comfort in something familiar. It’s also a sign that you have strong connections back home, which is actually a good thing. It means that you have meaningful relationships and experiences that matter to you. The key is finding ways to balance those feelings while allowing yourself to fully experience your new environment.
You’re adjusting to a new culture, a new routine, and possibly even a new language. That’s a lot! Missing home is just part of your brain trying to find comfort in something familiar. It’s also a sign that you have strong connections back home, which is actually a good thing. It means that you have meaningful relationships and experiences that matter to you. The key is finding ways to balance those feelings while allowing yourself to fully experience your new environment.
You’re adjusting to a new culture, a new routine, and possibly even a new language. That’s a lot! Missing home is just part of your brain trying to find comfort in something familiar. It’s also a sign that you have strong connections back home, which is actually a good thing. It means that you have meaningful relationships and experiences that matter to you. The key is finding ways to balance those feelings while allowing yourself to fully experience your new environment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
Homesickness isn’t just missing home. It can feel like a mix of emotions—loneliness, sadness, or even frustration. Some days, you might really crave your mom’s cooking, your favorite local hangout, or just the comfort of speaking your first language without thinking. It can hit randomly, even when you’re having a great time. Sometimes, you might feel disconnected from the people around you, or like you don’t quite belong yet. These feelings are temporary, but they can feel overwhelming in the moment.
How to Cope with Homesickness
1. Stay Busy
The worst thing you can do when you’re homesick is sit alone and think about it. It’s easy to fall into a spiral of scrolling through old photos or comparing your new experiences to your life back home. Instead, try to fill your days with activities that keep you engaged. Join clubs, sign up for a sport, take up a new hobby, or volunteer in your host community. The more you invest in your new surroundings, the more comfortable and connected you’ll feel. Plus, staying busy helps distract you from negative thoughts and makes time pass faster.
2. Create New Routines
One reason home feels so comforting is because of routines—familiar places, familiar people, and a predictable schedule. Try to create your own little routines in your host country. Whether it’s grabbing a coffee from the same place every morning, going for a walk in the evening, or setting aside time to journal every night, small habits can make a big difference. Establishing consistency in your daily life will make your new environment feel more like home over time.
3. Stay Connected (But Not Too Much)
Of course, calling your family and friends back home is important, but try not to rely on it too much. If you’re constantly texting or video-calling home, it can actually make homesickness worse by keeping you mentally tied to the place you left. Set a schedule for catching up, like a weekly video call, so you stay in touch without overdoing it. Instead of spending hours online, use that time to build relationships in your host country. Over time, your new friendships will help reduce feelings of homesickness.
4. Talk About It
You’re not the only one going through this. Talk to other exchange students, your host family, or even a teacher if you’re struggling. Sometimes just saying, “Hey, I’m feeling a little homesick,” can make you feel better. Other students might be experiencing the same thing, and sharing your feelings can help you feel less alone. Your host family might also have advice or ways to help you feel more at home. The more you express what you're going through, the easier it will be to work through it.
5. Keep a Journal
Writing down how you feel can help process emotions. It gives you a way to reflect on your experiences and track your personal growth. Some days, you’ll notice that your mood improves, and looking back on those entries can be reassuring when homesickness hits again. Plus, later on, you’ll be able to look back and see how much you’ve grown and how far you’ve come since the beginning of your exchange. You can also use your journal to write down good things that happened each day, which helps shift your focus to the positives of your experience.
6. Find Comfort in Small Things
Listen to your favorite music, cook a meal from home, or watch a movie in your first language. Little things can make you feel connected to home without making homesickness worse. If you have a favorite snack from home, see if you can find something similar in your host country. Creating a cozy space for yourself in your host family’s house—like decorating your room with photos or bringing a favorite blanket—can also help. Finding comfort in these small things can help ease the transition while you continue adjusting.
Remember: It Gets Better
Homesickness usually fades over time. The more you settle in, make friends, and build memories, the less you’ll feel it. And before you know it, your exchange will be flying by, and you might even start dreading the thought of leaving your host country. The feelings that once made you homesick will be replaced with appreciation for your new home, and you’ll likely miss it just as much when it’s time to go back.
So if you’re feeling homesick, know that it’s okay. It’s part of the experience, and it doesn’t mean you’re not having a great time. Give yourself some grace, follow these tips, and soon enough, your host country will start to feel like a second home.
Homesickness usually fades over time. The more you settle in, make friends, and build memories, the less you’ll feel it. And before you know it, your exchange will be flying by, and you might even start dreading the thought of leaving your host country. The feelings that once made you homesick will be replaced with appreciation for your new home, and you’ll likely miss it just as much when it’s time to go back.
So if you’re feeling homesick, know that it’s okay. It’s part of the experience, and it doesn’t mean you’re not having a great time. Give yourself some grace, follow these tips, and soon enough, your host country will start to feel like a second home.
Homesickness usually fades over time. The more you settle in, make friends, and build memories, the less you’ll feel it. And before you know it, your exchange will be flying by, and you might even start dreading the thought of leaving your host country. The feelings that once made you homesick will be replaced with appreciation for your new home, and you’ll likely miss it just as much when it’s time to go back.
So if you’re feeling homesick, know that it’s okay. It’s part of the experience, and it doesn’t mean you’re not having a great time. Give yourself some grace, follow these tips, and soon enough, your host country will start to feel like a second home.
Homesickness usually fades over time. The more you settle in, make friends, and build memories, the less you’ll feel it. And before you know it, your exchange will be flying by, and you might even start dreading the thought of leaving your host country. The feelings that once made you homesick will be replaced with appreciation for your new home, and you’ll likely miss it just as much when it’s time to go back.
So if you’re feeling homesick, know that it’s okay. It’s part of the experience, and it doesn’t mean you’re not having a great time. Give yourself some grace, follow these tips, and soon enough, your host country will start to feel like a second home.
