Coming Home from college

College is my home away from home, full of exploration in a new place with new people. Coming home from any sort of trip or adventure creates a range of emotions. Here are the tips and tricks I have learned after being away from home for a lengthy amount of time.

1) Whether you are going away from home and family for a week or four months, you might deal with homesickness. A way I combatted that was I brought pictures from home including pictures of family, friends, my house, dog, and local landscape. It is so nice to be able to look at them. Even if you are not homesick, it is nice to be able to look at family to put life back in perspective.

2) The reverse of homesickness might also be true. When you come home from a solo adventure, such as college, you might be overwhelmed by the emotions of home. For me it is a slower pace at home and I can finally rest. Although, this is nice, it might also be tough to go from hanging with friends all the time to being with family. This different environment can be stressful to readjust your life too, after being away for so long. One way this stress can be alleviated is by keeping a similar-ish schedule to before. If you are like me and like keeping busy, perhaps keep up with a similar wake up schedule and make a too do list. These might help make you feel like you are back at school.

3) In my experience when I have come home from a vacation, it can be a flood of emotions. Sadness that the trip is over, stress at unpacking, and so forth can all be negative emotions. Try planning for a future trip or taking local travel trips to relive these emotions.

Overall, whether you are returning home from college or a long trip, it can be emotional and difficult to adjust. Remember that you are not alone, and that many other people experience these emotions after an adventure.