I’m in my fourth year at Beloit and I still miss home everyday. I miss my parents, my friend and her cat Tofu, watching stupid YouTube videos with my brother, and Trader Joe’s (sorry). I miss making breakfast in my kitchen and terrorizing my dog when he wants to be alone and Douglas fir trees and my go-to overpriced acai bowl place.
I don’t think there’s a truly effective cure for homesickness, and it’s probably not inherently a bad emotion to feel. However, over the past three years I’ve tried to minimize the feeling in small ways. This is pretty basic advice, but the most effective way I’ve dealt with homesickness is by forcing myself out of my dorm room. Everytime I go on a walk around Beloit, I find at least one special thing — a weird squirrel, interesting yard decorations, beautiful trees. Even just forcing myself to study in the library rather than my dorm room significantly improves my mental health. My dorm has always been the place on campus that feels the most like home, probably because I bring a suitcase full of items from my room back home to decorate with. I want the space to feel like a reward after a long day, but when I barely leave it, it doesn’t feel special anymore.
My freshman year, I would walk to Turtle Creek fairly often, and once I came across this little cat who followed me along the entire trail. I still think about that, and how happy it made me. I also met this dog named Olive (her owners owned J&G’s Coins, Rings, and Things but they moved; fml), and she was a licensed emotional support animal. Needless to say, she was amazing at her job and whenever I missed my dog I would go visit her. If you go outside intentionally seeking someone’s pet to hang out with, I think most times you can probably at least pet a cat or something. If you’re blessed with friends who have pets that’s also a viable option, obviously.
Invest in things that bring you comfort — if possible, don’t let dorm life stop you from doing things that you enjoy. I love baking at home and it’s something that helps whenever I’m feeling sad, but for my first three years here it felt too inconvenient to buy supplies. Looking back, I totally should’ve just bought a brownie mix and handled it. No matter what your hobbies are, make sure you give yourself the time to nurture them. Read in the library, draw in your free time, play piano in the Powerhouse. Despite how busy things can get, I think it’s definitely worth it to dedicate time to activities that you know bring you comfort.
I always dread spring in Beloit because that’s when homesickness hits me hardest. Without a car on campus I hate feeling confined to my dorm, but I don’t want to set foot outside in the biting cold. My support systems back home feel far away, making it more difficult to lift myself out of seasonal depression. But I know that everyday moves us closer to summer again, and all I can do is try my best to make the most of my time. Through this cycle, Beloit has slowly become more and more of a home, and I know there will be so much to miss here. I’m never going to stop feeling homesick, and I’m sure the feeling will linger after graduation, evolving as I move on through life. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesn’t hold you back from experiencing the world around you and all the unexpected joys it can offer.
Image credit: Emma Laus’27
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