Introduction
Deciding to study abroad is among the most exhilarating and life-changing choices a student can make. You’re entering an entire world of fresh opportunities, new cultures and new ways of looking at things. But with the excitement, there’s also the very real challenge most every international student experiences: homesickness study abroad. Homesickness as an International Student Studying abroad and homesickness go hand in hand as a normal psychological reaction to separation from family, friends, and the familiar environment. With support in place, some coping strategies, and a positive attitude, loneliness can be turned from a negative feeling into a period of personal growth and cultural adaptation. In this blog post, we’ll dig into why homesickness is essential, why homesickness happens, and most critically, what international students can do to manage homesickness, have better emotional and mental health overseas, and feel at home abroad.
Homesickness study abroad: Different Context
The Global Trend
UNESCO reports that over 6 million students travel abroad for education each year, and many face emotional challenges during their initial months abroad. homesickness study abroad is one of the top five challenges that students struggle with, according to surveys by QS and IDP — alongside financial concerns, academics, and cultural adjustment.The Indian Context
India is the second-largest source of international students in the world after China. homesickness study abroad of Indian students abroad is exacerbated by:- Geographical
- Festivals, food, and traditions that were so deeply ingrained in the family vanished.
- Adapting to climate, language and cultural practices in host countries.
Why It Matters Personally
It’s more than just a mood killer — homesickness study abroad can affect your focus, your productivity, and even your physical health. And taking it on early helps students not only preserve their emotional well-being overseas but also savour their academic journey more deeply. 70% of students will be homesick within the first 3 months overseasRead More: Minimum IELTS Score for USA: Admission Guide for 2024
Why Indian students get homesickness study abroad?
Feel at home abroad is part of the natural response to breaking with the familiar and settling into a new place. This can be really overwhelming for international students, and the first couple of weeks or months abroad can be really disorientating, in part because of the culture shock coming from another part of the world. Knowing the most frequent causes helps in identifying the feelings and strategies for coping that can then be applied.Emotional Triggers
Separation from people you love, such as family, friends and even pets, leads to homesickness study abroad, and this causes a gap in your life, a gap that is very emotional. It is especially powerful when there are special occasions, when the absence of familiar faces and familiar traditions becomes especially painful. To further compound this ordeal, we have the loss of day-to-day routines and the comfort of home, which can make people feel lost and lonely in a new world.Cultural Adjustment
A new diet and way of life can be quite a challenge to adapt to because it might take time to familiarise oneself with new food, new weather, and a new social culture. In addition, the transition to a new academic system can be overwhelming, since the way things are taught, homework requirements, and the dynamics in the classroom can be vastly different from what one is used to back at home.Social Challenges
It may take time and effort to make close friends in a foreign culture, and it may be challenging at times. Lack of a firm support system can cause students to experience a feeling of being out of place as they are seen as foreigners in their new surroundings. This sense of not belonging could lead to increased difficulty in becoming fully a part of the community and adapting to the new environment. Being aware of these reasons is the initial step to becoming more resilient and using practical coping homesickness tips to Feel at home abroad. Check out: https://eures.europa.eu/how-cope-culture-shock-and-homesickness-advice-adjusting-new-environment-2024-01-23_en#:~:text=Both%20culture%20shock%20and%20homesickness,most%20of%20your%20experience%20abroad
Coping Homesickness tips for Homesickness Study Abroad
Be Social
Video conferences, chats and family group conversations are needed, watch. The time that is spent in the online world can make the need to be at home more appealing. Rather, you can schedule meetings to support each other without feeling that you are dependent.Create a Routine to make a Home in a strange land.
A daily schedule has predictability and consistency. Starting your day with a routine (writing in a journal, a short exercise, morning video call with your family, etc.) can be helpful. Routines allow your new life to look a little less disorganized and a little more like yours.Seek International Student Support
Most universities have special offices where counselling, social and cultural integration programs are offered. Being there not only helps to emotionally stay healthy, but also form new friendships. Check out: View Universities →Recreate a Sense of Home
Bring along small things from home, such as photos, traditional clothes, your favourite spices, or even a cosy blanket. Another way to make yourself at home in a foreign country is to cook something home-made or to observe cultural holidays with your friends.Explore New City
Turn curiosity into confidence. Explore local cafes, libraries, cultural centres, and parks. The nearer to your home you are the more you will feel at home abroad.Read More: Cheapest Universities in the World for International Students
Check out: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/study-abroad/mindful-abroad-9-tips-to-stay-mentally-fit-while-studying-in-a-new-country/articleshow/121594904.cms
What can be done to improve Overseas Emotional Health?
Studying overseas can be quite exciting, and at the same time, frustrating, as you have to cope with emotional challenges. Overseas emotional health is the key to success and a positive experience. Below are some coping homesickness tips on how you can save and improve your psychological health when you are not at home.Make Physical Wellness a Priority
Your mind is closely joined to your body. Working out, jogging, yoga, or even getting a walk can be a way to eliminate stress and feel at home abroad. Combine this with a nutritious meal and early sleep to power yourself and stay in a good mood.Practice Mindfulness and Journaling
You can use gratitude journaling to process your emotions or deal with anxiety by using meditation or breathing. Scribbling also clears your mind and helps you to realise that you are on the right path towards the adjustment process.Seek Professional and Campus Support
Most universities provide international student support services such as counselling, peer mentoring and cultural orientation. With such resources, you will never find yourself alone. A combination of good health practices, emotional self-care, and positive relationships can help you to improve your emotional well-being in the host country and ensure homesickness study abroad works to your benefit.
Check out: https://civs.online/mental-health-matters-self-care-tips-for-international-students/
Difficulties & Advantages of Homesickness Coping.
Some problems faced by International Students
- The reason is that there are no family and friends. This is because a person does not have people to share with when he or she is celebrating a festival or even when he or she is celebrating his or her own birthday.
- Adaptation to new food, new climate and new ways of communicating is overwhelming.
- Studies and life in general will be impacted by unconcentration, brought about by long-term homesickness study abroad.
Key Benefits of Overcoming homesickness study abroad
- When the students learn to survive in new environments, they will be strong, confident and independent individuals.
- Homesickness study abroad gives the students an opportunity to build relationships thus the students are able to build various relationships which are not temporary.
- The embarrassment of the first steps is compensated by the opportunity to familiarize oneself with new traditions, views, and ways of life.
- Adaptability and problem-solving – this is the most demanded group of competencies in the foreign working environment and this group of competencies is trained in the course of this trip.
Gateway’s Role in Support
At Gateway International, we separate the two extremes of this experience. Through pre-departure information, mentorship and post-arrival check-ins, we help students to overcome the challenges and enjoy the advantages of studying overseas. Case Study 1 – Arjun, UK: Arjun was very much missing Indian food. He started cooking with the flatmates, and they were introduced to biryani and chai. This not only relieved him of his homesickness study abroad but also rendered him popular among his friends. Check out: Contact Us →Gateway International Support: Feel at Home Abroad
We not only assist you in studying at Gateway International but also help you feel good.Process of support
Pre-Departure Guidance
We talk to you about changes in culture, adjustments in lifestyle, and successful coping strategies, such as how to deal with homesickness study abroad. This will enable you to build strength before going outside the house.Student Support Networks
You will also be able to connect with the seniors and other international students who understand what it is like to be homesick and how a challenge it is to study in a foreign country, through our alums and peer mentoring programs. It is a network that makes your family in a foreign country.Mentorship & Emotional Guidance
We do not give academic counselling; we give the counselling of our mentors, who are ready to share their personal experience of how they managed to find their place in a foreign country and how they can help us become better emotionally, create a routine, and increase our confidence.Post-Arrival Check-ins
We do not stop assisting you because you are lying down. We will keep in touch with you for the first couple of months to help you settle into a comfortable environment and have someone to vent to when you feel overwhelmed. Case Study 2- Radhika-Canada: Radhika felt lonely in the first winter in Toronto. Educational support system: The Indian Students Association helped her feel at home, and cultural nights helped her relax. No, it did not take several months before she wrote, ‘I no longer had a feeling that I was not at home – I had a family here.Success Story Spotlight
Take the case of Priya in Australia. Cultural diversity and isolation did not initially give her a sense of belonging, but she had already become a part of the alumni network at the Gateway and had found some friends with whom to celebrate Indian festivals. After several weeks, she was home in another country, and now she trains juniors with identical problems. You will never be without Gateway International. We will not only see to it that in the foreign country you will not only be spending your time in a fruitful way, as far as your studies are concerned, but we will also make your time there a kind of experience that you can not only feel, but to which you can apply to close the gap between yourself and personal betterment.Ready to take the next step? Schedule a free consultation call with us today +91-9116011856/ 60!
Check out: Get Started →
Quiz
Q1. Under stress, you would rather:- Write or journal about feelings
- Talk to friends/family
- Listen to music or watch movies
- Take physical exercises such as sports or walking. ✅
- Once a day or every few days ✅
- Every hour
- Rarely
- Once a week
- Attend occasionally
- Pair up now to introduce yourself.
- I was not aware of the existence of these groups.
- Don’t do it, I am shy. ✅
