Homesickness is a typical part of a student’s transition to college. Here are some suggestions to help your student adjust to their new life at Hollins.
Keep in touch with your student. Call, and send letters, emails, and inspirational cards.
Send care packages with cookies, pictures of the family, items from home such as trinkets and notes from neighbors and other family members.
Visit your student during the school year, if possible. Please make sure to coordinate your travel plans with your student. Most college students don’t like surprise visits, especially when they coincide with busy academic times such as midterms.
Be understanding and reassuring if you receive frantic and tearful calls from your daughter saying she wants to come home. Encourage her to talk to her community assistant (CA), student success leader (SSL), O-team leader, professors, advisor, friends, or any member of the student affairs staff. There are many people who are willing and able to help if they will just reach out.
Encourage them to become involved in campus activities. Students tend to feel the effects of homesickness a lot more when they have too much free time on their hands.
Remember that they are not alone in feeling homesick. Encourage them to make new friends, talk with other new students, and seek advice from returning students.