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Tackling Homesickness
Resources for Building Connections and Community at UH Mānoa
Coping with Homesickness
Starting college can be a big transition! It’s normal to have a hard time adjusting to this change. Many students deal with homesickness, stress from classes, relationship changes, and managing life on their own for the first time.
Remember that homesickness and other challenges when adjusting to college are normal, and it’s okay if it takes time to feel comfortable. Feeling homesick can be a good sign that you have strong connections with those back home!
Making new friends and interacting with new people can also help combat homesickness. Don’t be discouraged if you feel like it’s difficult for you to make these connections. It’s completely normal and it’s important to be persistent. Sometimes it takes months to develop genuine friendships.
Making Friends in College
Making friends can feel intimidating, but it’s an important part of making the transition to school easier and enjoyable.
Strategies to build friends
Take Initiative - Start a conversation with your classmate, or invite your roommate to hang out.
Stay Persistent - Research on making friends indicates it takes 40-60 hours to make a casual friend and even longer to build deeper friendships (Hall, 2019). Regularly attending an activity or club can increase the chance of making friends!
Attend Campus Events - Attend sports games, campus events, and new student orientations to meet people.
Join a Club - Find clubs that match your interests and meet people with similar passions.
Consider Greek Life - If you’re interested in sororities or fraternities, rush for the chance to join a close-knit community.
Be Open to Differences - College is a time to meet people from diverse backgrounds, so remember to keep an open mind!
Self Care Tips
Remember to eat regularly nourish your body with nutritious foods.
Take breaks you find refreshing!
Socialize, take a walk, make a craft, have a dance party, practice yoga, power nap, etc.
Study with a partner or group for greater accountability.
For adults, aim to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night (https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html)
Be kind to yourself and have realistic expectations.
References and Resources About Homesickness & Making Friends
Hall, J. A. (2019). How many hours does it take to make a friend? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(4), 1278-1296. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407518761225
Mental Health America. (n.d.). How to deal with homesickness in college. https://mhanational.org/how-deal-homesickness-college
Newman, K. (2018). How long does it take to make a friend? Greater Good Magazine. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_long_does_it_take_to_make_a_friend
The Jed Foundation. (2023). How to deal with homesickness in college. https://jedfoundation.org/resource/how-to-deal-with-homesickness-in-college/
University of Hawaii at Hilo. (n.d.). Homesickness and adjustment.
https://hilo.hawaii.edu/studentaffairs/counseling/HomesicknessAdjustment.php#homesick
Washington State University. (2023). How to make friends in college 101.
https://ascc.wsu.edu/blog/2023/10/09/how-to-make-friends-in-college-101/
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