College...Homesick?

Home ▸ Archive ▸ Serious Business ▸ College...Homesick?
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Aug 21, 2013 8:40 PM
A few quick questions.

When you went off to college:

1. Did you think you would be homesick?

2. Did you end up being homesick or transfer closer to home?

3. How far away did you go from home?

We just took our daughter and moved her in today. I think most parents are worried their kids will never come home but my biggest worry is that she will. I believe she will be fine and stick with her goals and aspirations. Even though it's not that far away...I still worry about this, I guess because I didn't really expect to be homesick when I went off, but I was and only lasted a semester before transferring closer to home.
Aug 21, 2013 8:40pm
Fly4Fun's avatar

Fly4Fun

Senior Member

7,730 posts
Aug 21, 2013 8:54 PM
1. No

2. No

3. Ohio to New Hampshire (About 750 miles).

I think something important is whether the kid is able to make meaningful friendships relatively quickly on campus. Being active with at least 1 kind of group (varsity or club sport, some other on-campus club or organization) helps with making friends with similar interests.
Aug 21, 2013 8:54pm
Mohican00's avatar

Mohican00

Dirty White Boy

3,394 posts
Aug 21, 2013 8:55 PM
1. No

2. No.

3. 115 miles

I've only been homesick once and that was my first night at boy's state. I had just gotten back from a vacation and went straight to Bowling Green. I woke up that first and had no idea where I was at. Once it kicked in I got this feeling of dread and not wanting to be there. Went away after a few hours
Aug 21, 2013 8:55pm
Classyposter58's avatar

Classyposter58

Senior Member

6,321 posts
Aug 21, 2013 9:02 PM
Tell her to make a routine and get involved around campus. It's weird at first moving out but if you start working out or running or in my case golfing once a day and joining clubs, intramurals and making good friends you re-establish security and begin to feel at home away at college. Sure I live 35 minutes away from home but it's totally different being on your own, especially when you've been in the same town and had the same friends for 18-19 years

I think people who are more independent make the transition seamlessly, also do not call much at all, like maybe once a week. It's good to reinforce that distance
Aug 21, 2013 9:02pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Aug 21, 2013 9:24 PM
Classyposter58;1489641 wrote:Tell her to make a routine and get involved around campus. It's weird at first moving out but if you start working out or running or in my case golfing once a day and joining clubs, intramurals and making good friends you re-establish security and begin to feel at home away at college. Sure I live 35 minutes away from home but it's totally different being on your own, especially when you've been in the same town and had the same friends for 18-19 years

I think people who are more independent make the transition seamlessly, also do not call much at all, like maybe once a week. It's good to reinforce that distance

She knows what she's doing on that front...very independent and very focused on her goals. I believe she'll be fine, but I have to imagine every parent has a similar worry in this situation.
Aug 21, 2013 9:24pm
M

MontyBrunswick

Aug 21, 2013 9:29 PM
You're probably over-thinking it. The education part of college (IMO) plays a very minor role of the college experience. It's how one handles being on their own for the first time that let's the real maturation of being in college take place. In my case, I commuted to Wright State my first quarter, then moved into a dorm my 2nd quarter. I met most of my friends there and basically just began to hate school. I thought different scenery would help, so I transferred to OSU. That's when it finally settled that I just flat out hated school and wanted out. I finished my degree and now I'm where I'm at now.

I would never consider myself feeling homesick per se, but there were times when I would have rather been home.

That being said, the first year will tell a lot about a person. I watched more than one 4.0 "goody-goody" person from high school absolutely blow up when they went to college and got into the party scene. I watched average people excel and average people fail. I saw a little bit of everything. Just depends on the person and how they handle it all.
Aug 21, 2013 9:29pm
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

Senior Pwner

23,151 posts
Aug 21, 2013 9:37 PM
Tell her no, she can't come back. Sounds like a little tough love would do her well. Otherwise before you know she'll still be living at home when she's 26.
Aug 21, 2013 9:37pm
M

MontyBrunswick

Aug 21, 2013 9:39 PM
Commander of Awesome;1489665 wrote:Tell her no, she can't come back. Sounds like a little tough love would do her well. Otherwise before you know she'll still be living at home when she's 26.
Chances are she'll be living at home after she's completed her degree.
Aug 21, 2013 9:39pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Aug 21, 2013 9:46 PM
Commander of Awesome;1489665 wrote:Tell her no, she can't come back. Sounds like a little tough love would do her well. Otherwise before you know she'll still be living at home when she's 26.

? Not sure you understood my post...or maybe vice versa.

It's me....not her. She's not showing any signs, It's just one of those worries in the back of my mind. Most of you guys on here were more college ready than I was and I was asking for some of your situations.
Aug 21, 2013 9:46pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Aug 21, 2013 9:48 PM
dlazz;1489667 wrote:Chances are she'll be living at home after she's completed her degree.

Why?
Aug 21, 2013 9:48pm
FatHobbit's avatar

FatHobbit

Senior Member

8,651 posts
Aug 21, 2013 9:53 PM
My first night in college I didn't know anyone. I was in a dorm but my roommates all knew people and they left. We had no tv and no radio and I was all by myself and terribly homesick that night. But the next day I met some people and it all got better from there.
Aug 21, 2013 9:53pm
M

MontyBrunswick

Aug 21, 2013 10:04 PM
Ironman92;1489672 wrote:Why?
Because the job market for recent grads isn't that great. The entry-level market has been absolutely flooded with people trying to get jobs for the past 7-8 years and it's just now improving.
Aug 21, 2013 10:04pm
Iliketurtles's avatar

Iliketurtles

Senior Member

8,191 posts
Aug 21, 2013 10:05 PM
1)No
2)No
3)I went to college about 45 minutes away from home.

I enjoyed college a lot more than I ever enjoyed high school. I didn't even go back and live at home during the summer just continued to work on campus and sub leased from a friend on the cross country team.

Just quit worrying Ironman I'm sure your daughter will be fine.
Aug 21, 2013 10:05pm
S

Sonofanump

Aug 21, 2013 10:35 PM
1) Maybe
2) No, underage drinking
3) 70 minutes
Aug 21, 2013 10:35pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Aug 21, 2013 10:47 PM
dlazz;1489680 wrote:Because the job market for recent grads isn't that great. The entry-level market has been absolutely flooded with people trying to get jobs for the past 7-8 years and it's just now improving.

In all fields?
Aug 21, 2013 10:47pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Aug 21, 2013 10:49 PM
Iliketurtles;1489682 wrote:1)No
2)No
3)I went to college about 45 minutes away from home.

I enjoyed college a lot more than I ever enjoyed high school. I didn't even go back and live at home during the summer just continued to work on campus and sub leased from a friend on the cross country team.

Just quit worrying Ironman I'm sure your daughter will be fine.

I'm not worrying much...it's back in the mind a bit but there. Wondered of other experiences......on that note, you have any kids?
Aug 21, 2013 10:49pm
M

MontyBrunswick

Aug 21, 2013 10:50 PM
Ironman92;1489721 wrote:In all fields?

Most.

The unemployment rate isn't even the problem... I'd fathom underemployment is way worse.
Aug 21, 2013 10:50pm
Ironman92's avatar

Ironman92

Administrator

49,363 posts
Aug 21, 2013 11:22 PM
dlazz;1489725 wrote:Most.

The unemployment rate isn't even the problem... I'd fathom underemployment is way worse.

I imagine it is. It's tight in the teaching field....nursing seems secure for a quick job. I can't say I'm too savvy in other areas. She's going into pharmacy so we'll see.
Aug 21, 2013 11:22pm
SportsAndLady's avatar

SportsAndLady

Senior Member

35,632 posts
Aug 22, 2013 12:20 AM
Bobcat?
Aug 22, 2013 12:20am
S

sportchampps

Senior Member

7,361 posts
Aug 22, 2013 12:52 AM
No
No
From Columbus went to school in Athens

I traveled so much for soccer before college leaving home was no big deal. I actually left 2 weeks earlier and went camping and canoeing in Minnesota before coming to the dorms. I moved in a day earlier then anyone else because of it and loved having not just a dorm room but a dorm building to myself. I went home for winter break and maybe 2 other weekends freshmen year. Then I left Athens after my final exam and drove straight to West Virginia to become a soccer counselor at a camp. The next two years were the same way. After college though I did move back home for about 6 months while I got on my feet and found a great job and saved up to move out. During that time I learn to really appreciate being home and how much fun it was to be with my parents.
Aug 22, 2013 12:52am
majorspark's avatar

majorspark

Senior Member

5,122 posts
Aug 22, 2013 1:25 AM
1st year in college all I really missed was good food and sleep. Reality eventually set in. After that I came to more of an appreciation of what my family had provided me. No cell phones or internet communications back then you were a little more divorced from home. With modern day communication I don't think its as much of a shock today. My daughter is a jr in college and we could maintain almost instant communication with her at all time throughout her college experience. My son is in BCT in the army and we have only received a template letter from him since he shipped 8/6 so I am guessing he may be a little homesick.
Aug 22, 2013 1:25am
Commander of Awesome's avatar

Commander of Awesome

Senior Pwner

23,151 posts
Aug 22, 2013 1:30 AM
Ironman92;1489632 wrote:
We just took our daughter and moved her in today. I think most parents are worried their kids will never come home but my biggest worry is that she will. I guess because I didn't really expect to be homesick when I went off, but I was and only lasted a semester before transferring closer to home.
Ironman92;1489671 wrote:? Not sure you understood my post...or maybe vice versa.

It's me....not her. She's not showing any signs, It's just one of those worries in the back of my mind. Most of you guys on here were more college ready than I was and I was asking for some of your situations.
Well your post was unclear then. lolfail on worrying that you'll crack and make her comeback home.

Me, I hated high school, couldn't wait to GTFO. I didn't even go home during the summer after freshman year. Nothing left for me there outside of the Browns.
Aug 22, 2013 1:30am
sherm03's avatar

sherm03

I go balls deep.

7,349 posts
Aug 22, 2013 2:13 AM
1. No
2. I did end up getting homesick at times (hell, I still miss being the only one that is far away from my family), but I never transferred closer to home and still in Cincy where I went to school
3. Grew up in Youngstown, went to school in Cincinnati

I was the first one of my siblings to leave the house. There were several times that I felt homesick. I still do, especially with young nephews and a niece back home that I am not around to see grow up. But I stuck it out. When I was homesick, I would call home and my mom and dad would talk to me about how I wasn't missing anything back home and that things were better off in Cincy than in Youngstown. Eventually, those calls got fewer and farther between.
Aug 22, 2013 2:13am
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Aug 22, 2013 2:56 AM
1) No
2) No
3) about a 7.5 hour drive to college. Left home at 18, if not for the family farm would never go back. Some people in our neck of the woods are unusually focused on keeping their kids close even though the economy is awful.
Aug 22, 2013 2:56am
M

Manhattan Buckeye

Senior Member

7,566 posts
Aug 22, 2013 3:00 AM
Ironman92;1489721 wrote:In all fields?
My sister-in-law graduated with honors from UVA and has a Master's from St Andrews. She is a secretary. Most of her classmates from St Andrews are unemployed.
Aug 22, 2013 3:00am