The adjustment to college life is a fun an exciting time for the majority of BYU students entering the university this fall. For many freshmen, the chance to live away from home for the first time, establish friendships with roommates, and take challenging new courses is a wonderful new experience.
However, for some freshman, their initial university experience is filled with sadness and longing because of homesickness.
While the desires to be with family or old friends might not subside, there are a number of things that can be done to help students cope.
Current BYU students and graduates give advice from their own experiences here in Provo.
Michael Peers, 23, a junior from Lafayette, Calif., majoring in Neuroscience. “I would say that the best thing to do to manage homesickness is to keep yourself busy. The hardest times would probably come when you have nothing to do. Go to class and study hard for them, and you will succeed in school and in overcoming homesickness.”
Walter Foster, 22, a sophomore from American Samoa, open major. “Living so far away from home and so different from what I was used to living in, it was hard to adjust to BYU and to Provo at first. I found that making good new friends and finding people from home to hang out with make being here much more enjoyable.”
Giovanni Fazzini, 23, a junior from Frostproof, Fla., majoring in economics. “More than being homesick, I just had trouble adjusting to the whole atmosphere at BYU. I think you just need to remember to always be yourself and remember to have fun and not get too uptight about college life.”
Mandy Stratton, 23, BYU Graduate. “I had some friends who were very homesick during my first semester here at BYU. For some of them, it took quite a while before they got comfortable and were able to overcome it. One of my good friends even went home. The best thing that you can do to overcome homesickness is to learn to rely on your friends. Knowing that there are people here at school who love you and care about you can make all the difference.”
Josh Haskett, 22, a senior from West Linn, Ore., majoring in Accounting. “Get involved. Play intramural sports. Go out and have fun with your friends. Take enough credits that you’re not sitting around bored all day, but don’t take so many that you get overwhelmed.”
Although homesickness may be unavoidable for some new students, there are steps that can be taken to help overcome it. For most students, it is just a matter of time before they are fully integrated into campus life.
Former BYU student Carrie Lewis, 23, from Boulder, Col., remembered the feelings that she had during her freshman year.
“I remember it being tough at first,” she said, “but by the end of the Christmas break I was dying to come back to school.”
