For many students, college is the first time they have had to live on their own. Whether they grew up around East Lansing or traveled from across the globe to attend Michigan State University, it is natural for all students to feel homesick while they are living on campus.
Every student has their own method of dealing with the emotions that come with being separated from their communities, from keeping in touch with friends and family, to decorating dorm rooms, to making new friends.
"One of the biggest things I do is FaceTime different members of my family who are at home," kinesiology freshman Luke Whittaker said. "It keeps our connection strong and it feels like I can still see them all the time."
FaceTime and other forms of video calls are especially helpful in combating homesickness, explained neuroscience freshman Nethra Ganesh. The ability to hold conversations while both hearing and seeing the people on the other side of the screen can help them feel closer together even while they are physically distant.
"FaceTime has kind of been my savior this year," Ganesh said.
College life can be very busy for most students, and sometimes it can be hard to find time to set aside for a phone call, Ganesh said. Even when she does not have a chance to talk to her family in real time, she still makes an effort to communicate with them in other ways each day.
"If I can’t call my family, I’ll send them a little update at the end of the day," Ganesh said. "We have a family group chat that we text all the time."
Communities back home are made up of more than just the important humans in students’ lives. FaceTime calls are not exclusively reserved for only the people back at home, said landscape architecture sophomore Alex Anderson.
"Whenever I feel lonely, I get my parents to FaceTime me so I can see my cat," Anderson said.
Students also decorate their dorms with items that remind them of home. Arts and humanities freshman Halle Drennan said pictures are a good way to see the people that she loves every day.
"It helps being able to look at them and remember that they’re there," Drennan said.
These pictures serve as physical reminders of the important people in students’ lives. Social relations and policy freshman Izzy Ahme said that in addition to having framed pictures of her friends and family, she also has pictures of them saved as her phone’s home and lock screens.
"Even though I’m an hour away, sometimes it does get hard to not be with them everyday and to not see them," Ahme said.
Items from friends and family can double as personal decor in students’ dorms as well as mementos of some of their favorite people and memories from home, explained astrophysics freshman Megan Walters.
"It’s nice to have things from the people that you love," Walters said. "I hang up pictures that my friends have made, and it’s nice being able to look at that. What helps me the most is knowing that I have people who support me back at home."
Ganesh said that she keeps gifts from her parents in her dorm.
"My parents gave me a mug when I moved in, it has a bunch of phrases about how they love me and how they’re proud of me, and I love to look at it every day," Ganesh said.
Other popular items that comfort students are stuffed animals or things that have been with them since childhood. Psychology freshman Ariana Hernandez said bringing stuffed animals to college has helped with the transition to living in a new environment. Some students even bring their pets from home with them.
Computer science freshman Iker Vazquez said that branching out and trying new things was a big part of what made his adjustment to college easier.
"The main thing that has helped is to make friends here, joining clubs," Vasquez said. "I already have some friends from home that also go to MSU, which is a huge help as well."
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Vasquez said that trying new things is a great way to make the most of your college experience. Though students can feel lonely when making the transition to an unfamiliar place, especially to a campus as large as MSU’s, there are many opportunities for students to discover new hobbies and to connect with people who share similar interests.
"There are a ton of things you can do in college, there’s always something for everyone," Vasquez said.
