The transition from family structure to solitary living can be turbulent time for students and some find it difficult to visit their families, leading to a presence of homesickness on college campuses.
With the stress and time commitment that comes with being a student, some find it difficult to visit their families leading to a presence of homesickness on college campuses.
According to University of California, Los Angeles’s Higher Education Institute survey conducted in 2015, up to 69 percent of new students at universities have experienced the feeling of homesickness. Omar Figueroa, scholastic performance specialist and psychology professor at Texas A&M, said Aggieland is no exception to this statistic, which has only grown since 2015.
Figueroa said while homesickness may manifest itself in various ways, it is important to know how those feelings can present themselves and the appropriate places to receive help.
Figueroa said often times when students are feeling homesick it stems from a place of uncomfort in their new environment, leading them to be stressed about the decisions they have made. He suggests students find a balance in their connections with their old and new homes can be a viable way to ease the feelings of homesickness.
“When a student comes to me and I notice that they’re homesick I’m always asking myself why,” Figueroa said. “We try to ask the student what is the biggest thing about home that you miss and we try to bring those different areas of home here by creating a balance.”
Sociology senior Courtney Parks said she experienced homesickness during her freshmen year of college due to not being able to spend as much time with her family. Parks said leaving her strongly family-oriented household to live in a college atmosphere on her own was what prompted her feelings of homesickness.
“I went home every single weekend,” Parks said. “I am very close to my family, and since it was my first year away from home I did not handle it very well.”
Biology senior Linda Ahaiwe said her bout with homesickness inspired her to find her own sense of family and community at A&M through the African Students Association.
“I find community and a sense of home with the African Students Association because I am surrounded by like-minded individuals who share my background and culture,” Ahaiwe said.
Alyssa Bullard, psychology senior, said that although students may experience feelings of homesickness, she believes that moving past the connections students have to home can lead to personal growth and new experiences as an individual.
“You have to leave in order to grow,” Bullard said. “Getting out of your parents’ house and making a life for yourself is vital for all areas of our maturity. We learn how to take care of ourselves, how to budget and to let go of the memories we made back home in order to make more in this new chapter. Don’t forget your family, but get out and make a life for yourself.”
To learn more about tackling homesickness, visit the Student Counseling Services.