It's a feeling that creeps into your heart and mind slowly, or all at once (there is no in-between). There's a song that comes on or you're impatient for the next break from the craziness of school, and before you know it, you're homesick. You miss the smells, sights, people, places, road construction, and overall, you feel really miserable about not being back home. It's completely natural to feel that kind of sadness about leaving home! It's all about dealing with the season of change you're in, so here are my top 12 ways of coping.

1. Cry It Out

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It can truly be as simple as a couple tears falling down to get some relief. It's heartbreaking to leave your home and high school best friends. Watch a sad movie or listen to a sad song if you need help jumpstarting the waterworks.

2. Skype/Facetime Date

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Due to wonderful modern technology you can chill with your BFF or family thousands of miles away in your living room. Seeing their face and talking just adds a little something extra a phone call or text can't offer. Get a little crazy and have a google hangout with your old group of friend if you all get down at the same time.

3. Go Home

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If it's possible for you to go home for a quick weekend trip, then go. It never hurts to surprise your family for the heck of it. Sometimes you just need to sleep in your bed back home to feel okay again.

4. Ask People to Visit You

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Work out deals with friends to have visit weekends. My best friend and I have a plan to each visit the other's schools every other year. Making long term plans like that will help you save money. Don't be too "adult" to ask your parents to come for parents day so home can come to you for a weekend.

5. Eat Your Favorite Food

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Sometimes you miss that little touch of your hometown's cuisine, so ask your friends who are from your school's area and find out the best place to give you a small taste of home. This could take a little while because the standards of college locals may be different, but don't get discouraged too quickly!

6. Look at Old Pictures/Videos

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Go remember the great moments you were lucky enough to capture! It's fun to remember how stupidly fun everyone was. Warning: this may lead to the crying mentioned in number one.

7. Talk to Someone on Campus

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If you feel bad enough, seek on campus counseling for help with the overall transition to college. When you leave home, it can be like going through the stages of grief, so don't feel you should carry that load all by yourself.

8. Go Out With College Friends

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Digging into your college life is a great way to kick homesickness for a few hours. It helps make memories in your new place with new people to keep you wanting to stay at school, because if your homesickness gets bad enough you don't feel the distance is worth it anymore.

9. Dig Into an Organization

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Finding your spot in school is initially great to make friends when coming to school. The next step is to keep going to events and becoming involved so you have something other than your major to keep you from going home. Having a place outside of classes to meet with people and have an outlet for something you enjoy helps you keep school fun.

10. Remember Why You Left

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Everyone has a for why they left. Whether it be the promise of a fresh start, or a really great program that can give you top notch training, there's a reason you're not where you were. Remind yourself what returning would bring back into your life, and what going back would have you miss here.

11. Watch a Throwback Movie/TV Show/Songs

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It's always fun to be a kid again for a night, so throw in an old Disney cartoon, or trashy preteen movie to help you remember what was so ridiculous about being younger. It's funny to listen to songs you once thought were so scandalous, when they're actually mild compared to some things you listen to now.

12. Go On An Adventure

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It's always fun to be a kid again for a night, so throw in an old Disney cartoon, or trashy preteen movie to help you remember what was so ridiculous about being younger. It's funny to listen to songs you once thought were so scandalous, when they're actually mild compared to some things you listen to now.