7 minute read
When homesickness hits
FSU Valencia students find ways to cope
By Audrey Caraher
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Aperson’s day-to-day life can be busy, demanding, and even draining. The remedy for a hectic schedule can be as simple as being at home, where the surroundings are familiar and comfortable. When we’re away from that place for a long period of time, we tend to miss our everyday routines. The travels and adventures are fun, but it’s completely reasonable to experience that annoying little tic: homesickness.
The symptoms hit most people in one way or another. For students studying abroad for extended periods of time, say an entire academic year, the difficulty of dealing with and overcoming homesickness is probably expected. However, even students studying abroad for a five-week summer session may find themselves feeling homesick.
Florida State University sophomore Lauren Martin studied in Valencia, Spain for the 2018 Summer C session, and she recalls that her toughest point was during week two.
“I think week one was very busy,” she says. “Then week two is slower and you have more free time and it hits you, like, ‘Oh crap, I’m here for three more weeks.’”
So, how do students abroad deal with homesickness? How do they prevent those emotions from getting in the way of having fun? Several FSU Valencia students were willing to share how homesickness affected them and how they dealt with it. In addition, the program assistants (PAs) of FSU Valencia shared how they help students work through homesickness.
Ideally, those insights can help future students combat what is a common occurrence.
“Home” away from home
FSU has had a presence in Valencia for nearly 20 years, so many students have studied in this beautiful city. A student can choose from several lengths of time when planning a study abroad experience: a full year, a full semester, or a summer session.
Most of those who spend a year immersed in Spanish culture are part of FSU’s First Year Abroad (FYA) program. These students are incoming freshmen, and many are from out of state, as they reap certain benefits. For example, International Programs offers FYA students instate tuition at FSU for the remainder of their college experience after their return to the U.S.
Understandably, FYA students have a big adjustment to make in Valencia. Not only are they likely away from home for the first time, they’re in a completely different country. FYA student Christina Williams says she “felt out of touch” because she was “so used to being in America, always hearing American things, being around American friends, and doing American stuff.”
Christina Williams takes a walk around the Serranos Towers—a monument just outside of the Garnet building.
Photo courtesy of Christina Williams
Students who are only studying abroad for three months or five weeks can have just as strong reactions. Those shorter programs are accelerated, but also warrant an adjustment period.
Martin says.
Unfortunately, students sometimes let homesickness overcome them and jeopardize their time in a new country. Whether the term is a year or five weeks, it’s important for students to be prepared for this potential hiccup.
Symptoms and signs of homesickness
Students experience homesickness to different degrees. For the most part, however, students and PAs say an overall sad attitude and isolation are common symptoms. The PAs share that, typically, students who are experiencing homesickness will become withdrawn from people.
The FSU Valencia PAs show their love for each other at the Fourth of July pool party.
“They don’t really leave their apartments, they stay put,” Avery Abel says. “They don’t really push themselves anymore. They don’t try new restaurants or try new things.”.
A fellow PA, Chelsi Chang, also noticed this behavior in students suffering from homesickness.
“There are usually the kids that are sitting in their room all day and don’t really want to talk to people,” she says.
Martin agrees with these observations, and she shares that staying in her room is definitely how she realized she was experiencing homesickness.
FYA Williams has similar memories of the start of her time abroad: “I didn’t talk very much in the beginning. I didn’t want to try anything new.”
Advice from students and PAs
So, now that the problem has been defined, how can it be handled? There are several ways to combat homesickness, students say.
First and foremost, “don’t be afraid of being homesick,” advises student Erin Groves, who studied in Valencia during the 2018 Summer C term. Homesickness is bound to happen, so you might as well accept the feelings. Then you can confront the issue headon and enjoy the rest of your experience. Wishing for home is completely normal, students says, so don’t be hard on yourself when you have these feelings.
Part of not being afraid of your homesickness is also not being afraid to talk about it.
“Honestly, most people don’t talk about homesickness,” Martin admits.
When overcoming this obstacle while abroad, it’s important to reach out to other people.
“I know that’s an uncomfortable thing to do but there’s always going to be people who want to be your friends and to support you,” Chang says. “At the end of the day, everybody’s in the same boat.”
Also, if you isolate yourself and don’t interact with other students, you run the risk of regretting your time abroad. The opportunities to explore and travel to other places are endless. Even if you decide not to leave Spain, you can be entertained during the length of your stay.
Chang says.
Every student and PA who was interviewed said the study abroad experience goes by fast. Abel found that reminding herself that “this isn’t permanent” helped pull her out of her struggle with homesickness.
“Don’t wish to go home because you can always go home, but you can’t always come back here,” Abel says.
Williams shares another piece of advice with students.
“Time is of the essence, in many different ways,” she says. She stresses the importance of staying on top of school work as well as experiencing the culture.
Another great resource to help deal with homesickness is easily accessible and already in your hand every day: your phone. FaceTime, Skype, and WhatsApp are excellent ways for you to lean on your friends and family back home for comfort.
“We’re so lucky to have access to this technology,” Groves says.
Summer C student Meg Croney-Clark says she also used technology to stay connected.
“At the beginning when I was more homesick, I could FaceTime my friends back home and they would help me through it and tell me to just enjoy my time here because it’s going to go by so fast,” she says.
Meg Croney-Clark (far right) visits Lisbon, Portugal with her newfound group of friends (from left) Taylor Noyes, Hailey Conston, and Shelly Perry.
“FaceTime is always the cure,” Groves adds.
Able and Chang say one way to preemptively help yourself overcome homesickness is to come prepared with knowledge of your host country.
If you’re studying in a country whose native language is different than yours, learn a few main phrases to help you get around easier.
“I think that a lot of people get homesick and scared because they can’t understand the language,” Abel states.
Chang concurs: “I always try to get to know a culture before I come to it, and I think that it kind of helps me find those ties or learning a couple of the words so that I don’t feel so confused and out of place.‘”
One of the takeaways from the students’ comments and reflections is that homesickness will hit you; when that happens, allow yourself to feel it but be conscious of it. Don’t let the emotions take away from the amazing opportunities before you.
With these tips from students who have gone through the program, you are better equipped to go forth on your own study abroad adventure and make the absolute best of it.
Erin Groves (left) and McCaryn Porter became friends through FSU Valencia and took a trip together to Sorrento, Italy.
Parents’ peace of mind
Maria Sierra, who has worked with students at FSU Valencia for more than 15 years, has watched students go through homesickness every year and has been able to observe their adjustments.
“Usually the first three or four days are the hardest,” Sierra says. “Once they start going to classes, they start meeting friends and other students, and they see that they are probably going to be fine.”
However, when students reach out to Sierra, who is one of the key resources for student health at FSU Valencia, she ensures that those students are taken care of.
Sierra, who herself is a parent to four children— one of whom studies in California and another of whom studied in France—has some advice for parents.
“You don’t need to be calling your children all the time and telling them what to do,” Sierra says. “If they need help, they will call you. But they need to adapt themselves. As a parent, you need to push them a little bit for them to be independent.”
