Homesickness: Social
Social homesickness is another type of homesickness you can experience, which again may be more intense when you are living away from home or away from where you grew up for the first time. If you haven’t seen our blog post about Environmental Homesickness, you can check it out here. Dealing with homesickness of any kind can be difficult, but you can mitigate how deeply it affects you and how long it lasts by planning ahead for how to respond when you feel social homesickness and identify when it’s happening.
What is social homesickness?
This is a type of homesickness that involves the longing for social connections, relationships, and the company of loved ones from your home environment. It can be particularly challenging when moving to a new place on your own, such as when starting university (and especially if you’ve moved really far away from home for your studies).
This can include a longing for specific people (mum, dad, close friends, a partner, etc), or just for a kind of social environment you enjoyed where you grew up. It can also encompass feelings that happen as a result of missing out on familiar gatherings, celebrations, or frequent interactions with close friends.
Planning for environmental homesickness
As with experiencing any kind of homesickness, acknowledging that these feelings are common and a normal response to change and separation from familiar social situations and people is an important first step. Accepting that these feelings are likely to occur at different times and to different degrees can help you manage them and get through them when you experience them.
Make communication a priority
Before you leave, talk to the important people in your life about how you will stay in touch. Whether this is a weekly phone call, a video chat, or even frequent messages via text or WhatsApp throughout the week. Having a communication schedule or a set expectation for communication can help you maintain a sense of connection even when you’re far away.
Build a Support Network
It’s also really valuable to consciously work to build a new support network in your new location. You are likely to be one of many people moving away from their familiar social circles and will likely be able to commiserate with you about feelings of social homesickness. Joining new clubs or societies are a great way to ensure you get valuable social outlets and can be great pieces in your social network.
Plan visits
Whether the visits are your friends or loved ones coming to visit you, or vice versa, planning opportunities to engage in your familiar social network or social events can help you deal with social homesickness. Having these reunions to look forward to can provide emotional support and alleviate feelings of social homesickness.
Learn about local culture
Even if you are studying in the same country that you grew up in, it’s likely that you will have opportunities to experience some new social and cultural norms when you go to university. Taking time to learn about the culture of your new home can help you connect with others and feel more integrated into the community.
Stay open minded and patient
Being open to making new friends with people, whether from different backgrounds or even backgrounds similar to your own is really important for building a positive social network for yourself. Moving somewhere new is an opportunity to learn about new people and even new cultures. Remember that building meaningful social connections takes time. Don’t be discouraged by early challenges or setbacks. Keep making the effort to meet people and form new bonds.
Identifying feelings of homesickness
Here are a few indicators that you might be feeling social homesickness
You frequently feel lonely or isolated, even when surrounded by new people or acquaintances.
Your thoughts consistently revolve around friends, family, or significant others from back home.
You become disinterested in or reluctant to participate in social activities or events in your new environment.
You frequently compare the people you meet in your new location to those from your home environment, often finding it challenging to connect with new individuals or form new friendships.
You experience heightened levels of sadness, anxiety, or mood swings, especially when thinking about or discussing your loved ones from home.
You find it difficult to engage with your current surroundings or take an interest in local culture and activities.
You experience changes in your appetite, difficulty falling asleep, or sleeping too much.
Wrap Up
If you identify with several of these signs, it’s likely that you’re experiencing social homesickness. Recognising these feelings is an essential first step in addressing them. Coping strategies may include working to build new social support networks, planning visits with friends and family from back home, connecting with local culture, and finding support from friends or professionals who understand your experience.
Remember that social homesickness is a common and temporary experience that often lessens as you become more accustomed to your new surroundings and build a new social circle. It's okay to feel lonely or miss your old social connections, but with time and proactive efforts, you can build a fulfilling social life in your new location.
Having these plans for managing social homesickness helps you manage and get through your emotions, but they don’t stop them from happening. It’s important to recognise and acknowledge the emotions you feel rather than trying to stuff them down and ignore them.
