A new environment, no matter how exciting it may be, can be nerve-wracking. As the reality of classes, and for some the realization of being on your own, begin to set in, it’s possible that some resident Sharks might start missing home. Though this is a common problem among many college students, according to USA today, there are plenty of ways to combat it. Residential Life and Housing at NSU is staffed with individuals trained to help Sharks cope with adjusting to this new environment —and avoid feeling like a fish out of water.
The cause of homesickness
Although there is no clinical definition or precise cause for homesickness, many people define the term as “a longing desire to return to wherever you consider home.”
Justin Smith, area coordinator for the Leo Goodwin Residence Hall, said that students often feel homesickness because of a lack of engagement. Often, students who feel an immense homesickness lack, or feel like they lack, a connection to the university. Smith said it’s important for students to realize the importance of engagement.
Alonzo Williams, senior dance major and resident assistant, said that students, particularly freshman, might feel homesick because they are embarking on a new journey.
“It’s kind of like starting life all over again,” he said.
Preventing and combating homesickness
Ryker Hess, sophomore business management major and resident assistant, said that one way he chose to combat homesickness as a freshman was to keep mementos of home. He kept his high school yearbook in his room and made it a point to call or write letters to his friends back home.
“Keeping in contact [with the people you love back home] can help ease the transition while you make more friends here,” Hess said.
“I think one of the biggest things to create that sense of home is having authenticity,” Smith said. “When I think about going home, I think about being able to be myself and be comfortable.”
As a result, residential assistants are trained to create programs to connect students and help them form relationships. Smith said that as students form a sense of connectedness, they begin to feel more comfortable and enjoy their stay at the university.
“First, seek out your RA for that help with knowing about the school and the community of the school. Every year that I’ve been an RA, I’ve made sure to introduce my residents to my friends that are of the same major or may be able to help them,” Williams said.
One of the simplest ways to form these connections outside residential assistant programs, according to Smith, is to join organizations throughout campus in order to engage with the student body. Finding a niche on campus can help foster a sense of familiarity and belonging.
What it means to find your niche
Finding a niche in a university can seem like a daunting task — after all, college is the time for students to find themselves, and it’s not uncommon to be unsure of where to start. For this reason, Smith said it’s important to know where to look. Looking back to prior interests and discussing these topics with an RA might be a good place to start. Again, starting with some familiarity can provide comfort. From there, students should explore new avenues and organizations in order to find which forms of engagement best suit them.
“I don’t want to overwhelm residential students, but I want them to find some sense of familiarity so that they don’t feel lost,” Smith said.
Every student will have different goals and different needs for the school year, but finding ways to be part of the Shark community looks different for everyone. Finding a niche in a university doesn’t mean drowning in every activity; it just means finding people and activities that suit individual needs.
Making your space yours
“We encourage students to decorate their rooms as much as they can and also have transparent relationships with their roommates,” Smith said.
Because students might be sharing a room, if not a suite with multiple people, it’s important to create a living space where all members feel comfortable and included.
Smith said the residents in the halls can draft roommate agreements in order to devise a plan to cover situations, such as guests, noise levels or even how cold the A.C. is. Developing a transparent relationship with roommates or suitemates will help ensure that all parties feel comfortable in their space.
“I think, for me, one of the aspects of being home is having something that’s constant,” said Hess.
He said that during his freshman year, it was nice to return to his suite and suitemates at the end of every day. Both Hess and Williams said that taking the time to create a comforting space can help foster that sense of home.
Taking time to decorate dorm space will make it feel more personal: a safe place to find comfort during stressful days. Need starting points? Hess recommended plants, a small rug and ambient lighting, and Williams suggested some artistic pieces, a desk set-up that works for you and a system for listening to your favorite music while in the room.
As a whole, NSU takes pride in becoming a second home for its students. Missing home is hard, but college is a great place to establish new connections. All Sharks have proven they’re brave enough to enter new waters in order to reach full potential, and though it may take a bit of exploration, every Shark can find their home here on campus.
