If you feel homesick at university, talking to fellow students can help. MA Publishing student Andy Mills recently took part in a project to help students put their feelings into words…
Starting university is one of the best experiences you are likely to have, but that’s not to say there won’t be obstacles to overcome. A big concern that often comes up with new students is homesickness. Amid all the excitement of new people, new places, and your newfound freedom, it is very normal to sometimes feel overwhelmed and to find yourself thinking about home. The most important thing to remember about feeling homesick is that you are not alone. Sometimes, the best remedy is to reach out to someone.
To help others who might be feeling the same way, a group of us at Plymouth University created Letters Home – a collaborative project between Illustration and English and creative writing students. They put their experiences into the form of an illustrated letter. University is all about building relationships, and this project allowed students across degree courses to share their experiences and offer different insights into starting their lives at uni.
What Project Leader Maggie Niewiarowska found (in-between completing her own MA course in Publishing) was that, no matter where the students had come from, she says it helped them to get some perspective: “Each student found themselves calling their new lives at university home too.”
Start to feel at home before moving in day by attending an Open Day, where you can also pick up a free copy of the Letters Home book.
Worried about feeling homesick at university? Use our top tips from students on how to make it feel like a home away from home.
