Dorothy got it right when she said, “There’s no place like home.”
I had the opportunity to come home for a weekend for the wedding of some dear high school friends. I don’t usually get to come home during the semester, so this is a big deal for me. I’d like to thank the professors who were willing to work with me so I could come.
As I was driving into my northern New Mexico hometown, I couldn’t help but get a little worked up. My family is here. I’ve made so many memories and had so many experiences here. There’s a lot of interesting culture and history here. The town itself is beautiful, and it welcomed me with a colorful sunset and crisp fall foliage. It had probably been about three years since I’d seen fall foliage here, since I’m usually in Utah at this time of year. It really hit me then: I have missed home a lot.
I began thinking about freshman year. I absolutely did miss home and everybody there, and that is perfectly normal. There’s no shame in being a little homesick.
During freshman year, staying busy with school certainly did help, as did actively meeting new people and making new friends. While nobody could ever replace my loved ones in New Mexico, coming to love more people at BYU made Utah feel a bit more like an extended home.
I know there is no one-size-fits-all cure for homesickness. It would be so much easier if there were. However, if you’re feeling a bit homesick, try reaching out to others, including some other people who might also be feeling down. Seeing a BYU counselor is also a great option. They’re here to help.
Also, remember that those you love in your hometown are still there for you, even when you’re not there. They’re often only a phone call, text message, tweet, Skype call, whatever you prefer to use away. We live in a wonderful age of technology, and it’s here for our benefit.
Strive to improve physically, mentally and spiritually. Find your purpose when you’re away from home. I promise, things get better as you hang in there and try to make the best of a difficult situation.
