When starting at a university, students already have so much to think about. They’ll be buying new equipment and furniture, packing their bags, working out how to transport their luggage to their new home and thinking about who their new housemates will be. Not to mention that many will be worried about moving away from home and in lots of cases, leaving their friends and family behind.
So, while the first week is likely to fly by as they find their feet, as they start to settle in, so can feelings of homesickness. This can manifest in many different ways, but it’s important that universities are doing all they can to help support students who feel this way.
To do this, they must create a friendly and inclusive campus culture that helps those who are feeling lost or sad now they’re away from home.
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at how you can create a supportive campus culture that cares for homesick students and helps them to settle into their new lifestyle.
Set up comfortable safe spaces
Everyone should feel comfortable on campus, after all, they’re going to be spending a lot of time there and it becomes a second home. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have comfortable and relaxed spaces where they can sit, chat with other students, study or just watch the world go by.
This could be cafes, break-out areas, computer suites or even a laundry room with plugs, seats and tables. That way, students can sit and chat or even study whilst they wait for their washing. Even better if you can ensure there is free Wi-Fi in all these areas.
These spaces give them somewhere to go when they’re feeling lonely or vulnerable. It means they can get out of their rooms and connect with other students. They might even find others who are feeling the same way. Access to plugs and Wi-Fi also means they can use these spaces to call or chat with family back home when they need to.
Organize on-campus events
There are loads of great events you can host on campus that can help homesick students to keep busy, as well as socialize with their peers and make new friends. This could be fresher's fairs in the first few weeks. It could also be charity events, coffee mornings, pub quizzes (if you have a pub on campus), clothes swaps, workshops and more.
You can get creative with it. You could even ask the existing students what types of events they would like to see being held on campus. This way, you can ensure you’re arranging activities you know the students will enjoy and engage with.
Make well-being and mental health an important part of the culture
Mental health is such an important talking point right now, and universities need to offer services that support the well-being of students. By building mental health and well-being into the culture of the campus, students will feel more comfortable opening up about their homesickness and how they feel.
Using poster campaigns, online resources and on-campus counselors, and talking openly about mental health is important. It helps to destigmatize these problems and encourages people to reach out and get help when they need it.
Have someone students can speak to on campus
Following on from the above, it’s important that you have professionals on campus that students can turn to. These could be certified counselors, student helpers or other campus leaders - these positions may have different names depending on the university.
The students also need to be made aware of who these people are and how to get in contact with them if they’re struggling or feeling homesick. It should be easy to reach out and meet with these people in person if they want to.
Making sure everyone has access to the tech they need
In the modern world, technology plays a huge role in our daily lives and for lots of students it is their key connection to their friends and family back home. Unfortunately, there are still students out there who will struggle to get access to the technology they need, or who may have limited internet or phone usage.
With this in mind, it’s important that every student has access to the tech they need to connect with loved ones back home.
Most campuses will have a technology suite or two, as well as a library, but longer opening hours can be beneficial to lots of students. Plus, free Wi-Fi in communal areas can be a huge mood booster for those who are struggling.
Make helpful resources available
It’s likely that all students will have an online portal or at the very least, a university email account. These tools can be used to provide access to online guides and other useful resources that can help homesick students.
From advice on what to do when you feel sad, to phone numbers for counselors and relevant professionals, these platforms can be very beneficial to both students and universities. So make sure this information and any helpful resources are easy to find and access for all students.
Set up enriching experiences on campus
Finally, as well as hosting events, it’s also important to offer regular enriching experiences or to provide a space where students can do this for themselves. This could be dedicated spaces and equipment for sports and social clubs, exciting volunteering opportunities or even having guest speakers come in from time to time.
There are many ways that students can make new friends, grow as a person and as cliche as it might sound ‘find themselves’ at university. You just need to make sure you’re doing all you can to make this happen and to support those who want to start or run useful clubs and experiences like this.
Some students might feel silly or be too proud to admit they feel homesick, after all, they should be excited to have freedom and to be starting a new chapter. However, a staggering 50 - 70% of students will experience these feelings of homesickness in their first few months, and it’s crucial universities are doing their part to ease these feelings and help students settle in.
Stuart Cooke is the Marketing Manager at My Baggage.