Homesick @ BU

College Life
1

<p>Hello reader,</p>

<p>I transferred from California to Boston U. The first week here was hell. I realized how homesick I was the moment I stepped through my dorm. I came to realize that I couldn’t be alone in my dorm for 2+ hours (I live in a triple). I even debated just taking the semester off to re-access my goals. However, I decided to stick it through.</p>

<p>After the first week, everything was much better. However, two weeks later, I felt the same homesickness pain I did when I first got here. </p>

<p>I have tried everything to get used to and love being here. The city is very nice, however, I cannot see myself here for 4 years. I have tried:

  1. Talking to RA’s, SRA’s, psychologists, and counselors
  2. Going out and being more social
  3. Joining clubs
  4. Keeping myself busy with work
  5. Exploring the city
  6. Skyping with loved ones and family</p>

<p>However, I’m starting to think that maybe this school isn’t for me. I am seriously debating transferring back home to USC or Claremont McKenna, hopefully. </p>

<p>Are there any OOS students that can relate to me right now?</p>

2

<p>Well not transferred. I graduated from high school and went to BU directly.</p>

3

<p>Wow, I’d die for the chance to experience a new city…</p>

<p>You could probably get into USC, but it might be a bit harder for Claremont, because I doubt you have any college officials/professors willing to write you solid letters of rec. if you take the semester off at this point. That school is just notoriously difficult to get into.</p>

4

<p>There are generally multiple phases of homesickness, but two main ones. The initial pang, when you first move in, and the settling in pang.
You’ve already experienced the initial one. Right now, the settling-in homesickness is starting to hit. What happens there is that the new and exciting becomes normality, so nothing is really there for you to explore. A routine is developed, and you start to realize what’s missing. This is normal. Even non OOS students experience this. When the everyday life is interrupted and changed suddenly, this happens. College is one of the biggest things that cause this.
Give it a while. Continue to do what you’ve been doing, getting out, being social, and talking to people about it. Normally, the process will take around six weeks before the homesickness dissipates.<br>
Don’t worry–be strong.</p>

5

<p>Thank you so much. This is something I haven’t read on the internet yet. I’ll try it this way and see where it takes me.</p>

6

<p>Let me know how it turns out!</p>

7

<p>InNeedOfPencils, nice advice :).</p>

<p>Treating homesickness like a series of phycological events, and not like I’m feeling bad, which means things are bad, which means I must to leave now, seems like a good tactic for dealing with it.</p>

8

<p>you got some really good responses already.</p>

<p>If it makes you feel better, I’m going to school in Pennsylvania all the way from Seattle, WA. I have some friends going to BU, MA and NY schools, as well. So, we all know how you feel. It can be very, very hard the first month, but stop thinking about the idea of going back home. This is your time to be free, study what you want, and embark on your academic/personal pursuits. I see this moment as a great opportunity to re-discover myself and kind of explore the other side of the country – and I am SO happy I decided to go out of state, like really far! Sure, PA may not be the same as WA, but the changes are interesting and it really shapes me as a person. I love the fact that i’m not home anymore. The only thing I miss is the food in WA, but that’s about it lol.</p>