Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Dealing With Home Sickness

By Hedrick Lepsch


Especially during the holiday season when it starts to get cold outside and all you want to do is curl up in a ball with a book and your cat in front of the fireplace, it is easy to get homesick. It can be difficult to overcome when your home and family are far away and you do not get to see them that often. Here are a few ways that can help you overcome your homesickness.

This can be the hardest part. Most likely, you have never even realized that you struggle with this. Many people don't realize how when they study for 5 hours, they actually are texting others, checking there Facebook, tweeting there friends, taking pictures with Instagram, or watching clips on YouTube. A good exercise would be to keep track of the actual amount of time you study during the day vs. the time that you spend on social media. You might be surprised when you learn your results.

You may not want to completely rid yourself of the outside world of social media so perhaps the first thing you could do is turn off your notifications on your phone. Every chime, noise, or signal can leave you losing your train of thought. Plan times when you can check your phone and stick to them. Keep yourself on a strict schedule.

As important as it is to take your mind off of home, it is also important not to forget it. Sometimes the best way to make yourself feel better about being away from home is planning the next time you are going to go back. Budget how much money you have and how much you will need for travel costs.

The key will be to set ground rules and even goals. If you both understand going into your time as roommates the need to make new friends and get out of your comfort zones, you'll push each other to do so.

Sometimes many temptations for social media are situational based. If you are big into gaming and want to make sure that you stay connected with your online friends, than perhaps it is best to study at a public library, on a public computer.

This can be anything from crocheting to playing video games. As long as you are able to budget your time wisely and not be distracted by your studies, these study breaks can be beneficial. Your brain needs to take a rest while studying, anyway.

No matter what you are studying, whether it is accounting, event planning, or programming, trying to stay focused might become a battle. The best advice is to hold strong to what you decide. You will most likely notice the difference as you keep going with keeping away from the distractions and your grades will surely thank you.




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