Managing Homesickness

International students are often told that their adventure to another country is going to be the best time of their lives. This may very well be true. But it is also true that making the transition can be tough, as it takes a lot of work and time for this place to feel familiar and comfortable.

If you are like most students this is the first time you are living on your own away from your family, friends, or your community You’ve moved to a new place, are trying to make new friends, tackle new and challenging academic tasks, manage your daily routine and all in a different culture….the list of “new” things goes on and on. 

With all of these new things happening, you will likely miss all kinds of things about home---not just the people, such as family and friends, and pets, but you might simply crave the familiarity of home---your room, your favorite foods, places you like to hang out. It’s normal to feel sad, a sense of loss, and homesick.

So, how can you take care of yourself in this transition, connect to important others at home, while building your home away from home here at UCSB? Check out this article to learn some tips about how to battle homesickness and enjoy your life here at UCSB.

Combatting Loneliness When Other Students Go Away for Breaks

UCSB can feel like a ghost town when breaks happen. The dorms, library, UCen, SRB, and bike paths that are usually overrun with students get eerily quiet. Many of the normal services (e.g., dining centers) close down or have very limited hours. Although this might actually feel like a bit of a relief for some people, international students often find that it can leave them feeling a bit lonely. So what can you do to prepare for breaks and enjoy the time off? Here's some suggestions:

  • Make plans with other international students or students sticking around for break. Check in with your friend group, your RA, or other organizations that you are a part of and see who might be around during break and make plans for meals and other fun activities.
 
  • Make a list of things you want to do or see here in the Santa Barbara area and go explore. Perhaps that is a shopping trip downtown, a day at the beach, going for a hike, a visit to historical sites (e.g., SB Mission), or whale watching on the harbor. Find what interests you and take advantage of not having classes or other obligations that are occupying your time.

  • Join the International Students Association (ISA). ISA provides international students with the opportunity to experience and appreciate different cultures and promote international friendship with American students. They organize a number of cultural, social, and recreational events that give students the opportunity to interact with a variety of cultures further enriching their college experience. These events include foreign movie nights, dance nights, beach volleyball, soccer, barbecues and more, as well as trips such as Disneyland, Universal Studios, Yosemite National Park and wine tasting trips.
 
  • Contact OISS to learn about events offered at UCSB or within the local community during the holidays. Local community groups often host international students for holiday meals (e.g., Thanksgiving), and international students often gather for day trips or excursions to see more of the area (e.g., see Department of Recreation trips).

  • Talk with friends who are also studying abroad and see if they might want to meet up over break to visit you or you visit them. You might even consider exploring an entirely different part of the country.

Making the Holidays Your Own by Creating New Traditions

There’s no doubt that when you are away from home and special occasions such as your birthday, birthdays of friends or family members, big events (i.e., wedding, birth of a baby), or holidays specific to your culture roll around it can make you miss being home even more. When you can’t get home for these events, consider some creative ways to mark that occasion with those at home, but also consider how you might bring the celebration here as well.

Celebrating with important others from afar

  • Find a way to be a part of the day at home. Use technology to your benefit. Schedule a time to call when important others are gathering or perhaps have them set up a video chat so that you are virtually at the table while they eat. Have them take you with them virtually as they check out a celebration downtown in your city. Have them send pictures of the occasion.

  • Send special notes to important others to let them know you are thinking of them. Receiving a card or a letter, rather than a text or email, adds a personal touch to let others know you care. 

  • Ask others to send you care packages that contain your favorite treats from home. Sometimes a taste of home is just what you need to not feel so far away.

Creating new traditions here

  • Think about what made the event/holiday special for you and recreate it here. Was it a specific food? Was it a specific tradition? Consider how you might recreate that here. Perhaps that will involve getting a recipe from home and trying to make it or maybe consider finding a restaurant that can offer a dish that is comparable even if it’s not quite the same as home. Make decorations and put them up just like you would at home.

  • Get friends on board for a celebration. Let others know about the important events or holidays that you are missing at home and invite them to celebrate it here with you. This gives them the opportunity to provide you support but it also provides an opportunity for them to know your traditions and culture better as well as get to know you better.


  • Check out the MCC main calendar to find other cultural events you might be interested in.  
Mental Health Peers celebrating Lunar New Year (2018)