Being homesick is nothing to be ashamed of

When I came to Seton Hall my freshman year, I was excited.

I was excited to take on this new journey. Seton Hall is far away from my home, about 14 hours of driving from Sugar Hill, Ga. Throughout my freshman year, this excitement continued. I didn’t really feel homesick often. I was enjoying my time here. And when I went home during the breaks, I would miss my friends and the homelike feeling of Seton Hall.

However, that all changed my sophomore year. The summer leading up to sophomore year I was excited to go back. I couldn’t wait to be back on campus and with my friends, and I felt that way after I moved in last semester. Then, something changed. I got extremely homesick and that feeling has lasted.

I call my parents more often this year than I did last year. I miss home-cooked meals. I miss the security and comfort I have when I’m home. You never really realize how much you miss your home until you’re away from it, and unlike most SHU students, I can’t drive to my home whenever I want.

I think part of it is because the awe of the first year has ended. It has finally set in that I am actually on my own. This is the freedom I have always asked for, and it is finally here, and it makes me sad…it makes me miss my home. I have always wanted this freedom, but now college is becoming real and tough.

This feeling seems to be normal for many sophomores in college, however. Many sophomores are affected by this feeling called the Sophomore Slump, a period of confusion in a student’s life academically and emotionally. It’s kind of scary transitioning to this new part of your life being so far away from home without a safety net. When you are at home you don’t have to worry about that—you have that security blanket and you feel safe, and during this terrifyingly new time in your life all you want is that security blanket. You want to be home for home-cooked meals and family movie nights.

It’s okay to be homesick. This environment is new and unfamiliar, and it will take time for you to adjust.

Shayan Dawood is a sophomore public relations major from Sugar Hill, Ga. He can be reached at shayan.dawood@student.shu.edu.