Of course, not all college students will get homesick when they go away to college. Many students adjust well, settle in, and have a wonderful experience. Some students may experience some homesickness, but their parents will never know about it. It may last a few days or a few weeks, the student will adjust and move on. But for some parents, the fear becomes reality. Their college student is homesick, miserable, and perhaps asking to come home. What is a parent to do?
Students may experience homesickness to varying degrees, although most probably have at least some of those feelings of longing for home. It is helpful for parents, and students, to understand that a certain amount of homesickness is completely normal. Students are dealing with unfamiliar situations, possible lack of routine and structure, loss of close friends, and readjustments of expectations. Some factors may increase the likelihood that your child may experience some degree of homesickness: no previous experiences away from home, difficulty making transitions to new situations, roommate issues, leaving a boyfriend or girlfriend at home, possible concerns about family members at home, or academic difficulties. One Dutch study, conducted in 2007, suggested that students with more involved parents tend to experience more homesickness; however, they may also have more effective coping strategies.
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