The Iglu Guide | Blog
How to Beat Homesickness
Studying in Australia is a fantastic way to broaden your personal horizons and explore the wider world. But moving overseas can be an overwhelming experience, with so many new things to manage all at once – a strange language, different cultures, unfamiliar food and new people. And on top of all that you’re trying to settle in, make friends and focus on learning. It’s a lot by anyone’s standards, and so it’s completely normal to find yourself missing those home comforts. The trick is to find that balance between feeling connected to home, whilst immersing yourself in your new surroundings. It’s no easy task, but here’s what might help when those homesick pangs hit.
1. Establish a routine
Getting yourself into a regular routine early on can help dispel any feelings of homesickness or ‘culture shock’ as you gradually adjust to your new surroundings. Many students find it helpful to set up a weekly timetable, something that cross references your university schedule with your social commitments. Getting to grips with your schedule doesn’t have to be overly complicated –a simple weekly planner stuck on the pinboard works just as well. Some students prefer to use apps like Canva and Todoist that they can also access on the go. Once you have your study time under control, it’s important to include regular exercise as part of your weekly routine, whether it’s sneaking it in here and there or an active weekly feature. Getting enough sleep and maintaining a healthy diet should be considered as essential parts of your routine as they play a huge role in your health and wellbeing. We’re all guilty of reaching for those comfort snacks when we’re feeling low, but unfortunately that sugar high comes crashing down pretty quickly, usually leaving you feeling worse off than before.
Top tip: Inject something new into your routine to keep it fresh, such as a themed cooking night, or a regular movie date with friends. These micro-interactions will lift your mood and help you feel more settled.
2. Stay connected
You might be far away from home, but the power of technology can help you feel like you’re right there.
- Use video calling apps to easily stay in touch with family and friends. Set up a regular time to speak – but be careful not to let it consume your life. It’s good to have something to look forward to, but too much interaction can prevent you making the adjustment to your new location.
- Regularly share photos and videos so family and friends have a glimpse of the new life you are living.
- Stay in touch with local news from back home via social media groups so that you still feel that sense of connection.
- Personalise your new room with photos, posters and favourite mementos to remind you of home.
- Celebrate familiar milestones such as Diwali, St Patrick’s day or Oktoberfest. Australia is so multicultural there is always something happening somewhere.
3. Build a support network
Having a reliable and supportive framework around you is crucial to settling into Australian life. There are several ways to make this happen.
- Actively lean into your learning environment as campus tutorials, lectures and workshops are great ways to make new connections. Think about joining a study group to make it a more social experience.
- If you are living in purpose-built student accommodation like Iglu, you’ll benefit from having a big student community on tap. Make an effort to get to know your housemates, and check out the busy social calendar that features regular events and activities. You’ll meet plenty of students from outside your own university – perfect for low effort networking.
- New friendships are the bedrock of the student experience, and will lift you up when homesickness strikes.
4. Keep busy
- Keep the homesickness at bay by immersing yourself in your new surroundings and taking advantage of what’s around you.
- Start your Aussie bucket list. Make a list of everything you want to see and do whilst living in Australia, and plan to make it happen. It might be visiting the Great Barrier Reef, taking a road trip or camping in the great outdoors – these are your memories and they’re waiting to be made.
- Hopefully O-Week introduced you to some new clubs and societies. Getting involved in student life is a great way to feel like you belong. The more friends you make, the more settled you become, and the less homesick you will feel.
- Volunteering is another great way to get involved in the local community and a great way to practise a new language as well as refine your interpersonal skills.
5. Seek support when needed
Homesickness can hit when you least expect, and just when you think everything’s going well. If you are feeling more homesick than usual, recognising when you need a little extra help is a good skill to have, and there is plenty of support on hand.
- Check out your student services to see what counselling is available.
- Seek support from your student accommodation provider. Iglu has a Resident Leader on site 24/7 that is available to help when required.
- Practise self-care within your daily routine, and put your emotional health front and centre.
- Join online communities with other international students and share your experiences. This is a great way to get peer support and reassurance that everything you are feeling is completely normal.
