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Homesickness is a common challenge for many international students. Moving away from home to a new and unfamiliar country thousands of miles away can hit international students with a wave of homesickness. Students come to an international country for better academic opportunities and a chance to grow outside their comfort zone.
However, the excitement of discovering a new country and meeting new people there surfaces another emotion- dealing with homesickness. Feelings of loneliness and longing often conceal the excitement of experiencing a new culture. Homesickness for international students arises due to being away from their support systems in an unfamiliar environment oceans away. This blog will explore the reasons behind homesickness, its impact on homesick students, and practical tips on overcoming and adjusting to homesickness.
Homesickness is an entirely natural emotion that many students experience while studying abroad. Homesickness for international students often arises when students are far from the comfort of their home, in an extraordinary environment with nothing dear and near. This discomfort is usually tied to the student's emotional connection back home, with their families, familiar routines, and even sights and sounds.
Thousands of students across countries study abroad every year. Many international students pursue the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia to experience a new culture, get excellent career prospects, improve academic opportunities, and grow personally. Over 1.3 million Indian students are studying across these countries, especially in the USA and Canada. Education is highly favoured in the United Kingdom; hence, the number of international students choosing to study in the UK steadily increases each year.
In 2023, there were around 559,825 international students in the UK, showing a stable growth in international enrollment. However, it saw a decrease in its number of applicants by 5.5% by March 2023. In 2024, the number of international students fell due to specific course policy changes. In 2024, the number of visas granted was 39% less than in July 2023. There are around 446,924 non-EU students with sponsored study visas, a drastic decrease. Looking ahead to 2025, the UK is expected to maintain or increase its international student numbers.
Homesickness may occur when students feel overwhelmed or miss the absence of comforts they once had back home. For example, the smell of a familiar meal may instantly remind them of their homecooked meals, and the aroma makes them long to eat their mother's homecooked meal.
One of the main reasons international students deal with homesickness is because they adapt to a new culture that is unfamiliar to them. From new languages, cuisines and high academic standards, the struggle to belong heightens. This lack of familiarity and absence of comfort creates feelings of homesickness.
Being physically away from loved ones also creates feelings of loneliness. The inability to share daily life moments or turn to loved ones for comfort and support can leave students feeling vulnerable and isolated.
The financial demands of an international student include accommodation, tuition, and living fees. Additionally, many international students take part-time jobs, leading to a longing for a home where financial stability is present.
Homesickness for international students may arise whenever they feel out of place in their new environment or if something reminds them of home. Here are some homesickness symptoms that almost all homesick students face:-
Homesick students may experience feelings of sadness and loneliness, low energy and an inability to participate in day-to-day activities when dealing with homesickness.
A common symptom of homesickness for international students is isolating oneself from people and activities, allowing you to sink into a shell of isolation.
Constant worry about adapting to a new environment and feeling dread every time you try a new activity can lead to anxiety and sadness.
When dealing with homesickness, homesick students might struggle with a lack of sleep in a new environment. It may disrupt the student's sleeping and eating patterns, causing fatigue and insomnia.
Dealing with homesickness can significantly impact a student's life, both mental, physical and academic performance. Here are some specific ways it affects their lives:-
Homesickness can cause a lack of focus and lead homesick students to perform poorly academically.
Students often withdraw from their peers and friends to stay alone in their room, making it harder to build friendships.
Homesickness can suck out a student's enthusiasm for any extracurricular or academic activities, causing them to feel unaccomplished.
While there is no instant remedy for curing homesickness, there are a few practical tips on minimising and learning how to deal with homesickness at university:-
Homesickness is a familiar and natural feeling many students face while they are away, and acknowledging the feeling allows recognition of the adjustment process. By accepting your feelings, you show you are not ashamed of them and help you manage them more healthily.
You are alone in a foreign city, and building a new support system is crucial. Seek new friends and peers with whom you can provide your understanding and support. A support system will help you make your adjustment there far less overwhelming and offer reassurance.
You should first explore the campus to learn how to deal with homesickness at a university. There are many organizations and clubs designed to help international students settle in. Joining these groups will help you engage in social activities and meet new people.
Staying connected with your loved ones will instantly cure homesickness. Thanks to modern technology, you can connect with them through video calls, texts, or photos. Students can happily talk their ears out as if they were talking to them right there.
Take the time to explore the city and try new experiences that will reduce your time in isolation. Become familiar with places to eat or discover new hobbies, which will help you get acquainted with the new environment and distract you from constantly thinking about home and your loved ones.
The practice of "self-care" is often advocated here and there, but the truth is that practising self-care will help reduce homesickness. How? By taking care of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually, you will transfer the negative emotions into a positive and turn to dark ways of isolation.
Dealing with homesickness while attempting to perform well academically is challenging. However, international students need to know they are not alone. We are here to help you every step of the way!
At Quick Assignment Hub, we provide various services, from assignment writing and coursework assistance to homework help, essays and dissertations. We take care of all your academic needs so you can focus on adjusting to the new culture, making new friends, and ultimately kicking the homesick feeling away.
Our services are professionally written and plagiarism-free, and we have customer support around the clock. Leave your academic worries to us, sit back, and adjust to the environment at your own pace.
Dealing with homesickness is a common, natural experience international students face when they arrive in a new country away from home. The feeling of homesickness will persist, but to overcome it, students can follow these tried and tested techniques to help them minimize it at their best. Students can learn how to deal with homesickness at university and personally and eventually overcome this emotion by exploring and adjusting to the environment at their own pace and making their study abroad experience extraordinary.
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