I moved into college two weeks ago, and everything has been what I dreamed of, well, except for all the stairs. But despite the major calf work out I get multiple times a day, college has been amazing. I’ve become friends with the girls on my floor, along with meeting TONS of other people in my classes and on campus. There are dogs everywhere and the weather has been beautiful recently. The one thing that I don’t have in common with a lot of other people is the fact that I’m not homesick.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my family and I love my parents but in the last two weeks most of what I’ve been hearing from most of my peers is how homesick they are. I mean sure, I have moments where I really wish I could come home after classes and sit with my mom in bed and watch TV with her. Or when I have some juicy gossip to tell my sister I have to send her multiple texts and screenshots instead of being able to just run into her room and show it to her myself. But ultimately, I am more than happy here at school on my own.

Part of the reason I’m doing so well with homesickness can be equated to a simple scientific principle. In biology, one of the characteristics of life is being able to adapt. So for an animal in nature, if the climate is rising, over time the animal will have to find a way to not overheat or die. For me, I must adapt to my new environment or deal with feeling sad and homesick the whole time I’m here. I am four hours from home and don’t have a car on campus so I’m not able to just drive home on a weekend whenever I feel like it, I have to tough it out, or adapt, to my new surroundings and make it feel like home.

Another factor that I have now realized I am very lucky to have had, was freedom when I was back home. My parents let me use the car whenever I wanted, and although I had proven I could be trusted, they never asked me to check in or questioned who I was going out with. I had an enforced curfew, but since the curfew was midnight, it’s not much of a change to now. Because of that freedom, coming to college was not a huge shock. I still can do whatever I want, and I know how to manage my time and myself all on my own.

My best advice to those who are feeling homesick is don’t go home. I know it’s hard, especially if you’re not far from home. But if you want to feel less homesick and make your school your home, find a place on campus that you feel like you belong. Whether it be a group of friends you really like, a certain activity, a club, or even your schoolwork, throw your whole self into what you do and channel all of your energy, even the homesick feelings, and make your school your home. Eventually, your homesick feelings will go away and before you know it, Christmas break will be right around the corner!