The day your parents left, you might not have felt homesick at all. Biola University was still an adventure: you were stoked for classes, excited to meet your roommate and ready to face the challenges of the college world.

The first few days of school went well and you were still on an all-time high; your Bible professors seemed nice, a bunch of your friends had English class with you and you already knew which intramural sports you want to sign up for.

Then Labor Day weekend hit and your mom called, telling you that your family was having their traditional Labor Day cookout at Aunt Carol’s house. Your dad was busy grilling hamburgers, and you could hear your younger cousins shouting in the background, accompanied by the occasional high yips of their new beagle. As you listened to your family prepare for the dinner without you, a sharp pain suddenly protruded from your heart, and at that moment you would have given anything just to hug your parents, high-five your cousins and sit at the familiar dining room table to enjoy the Labor Day feast .

Sound familiar?

Homesickness does not only hit freshmen, but it can even affect returning students. I remember that I got really homesick last year during Parent Weekend; although I was a transfer student and had already experienced a year of college, I especially missed being with my family upon seeing other students surrounded by theirs.

Here are some suggestions from college websites on how to chase away those homesickness blues:

• Bring “home” with you: If you have items that remind
  you of home in your dorm room, that “former world” won’t
  seem so far away. Comfort items such as your favorite
  pillow, blanket, posters, food items, and photos evoke
  pleasant memories that you can cherish the minute you
  start missing your family and friends.
• Get active and go: Join that Star Wars club you’ve
  been curious about, go on the floor retreat and
  participate in a Bible study. If you are involved with
  other activities beside going to school, whether they be
  clubs and on-campus organizations or working part-time,
  you will be preoccupied with a busy schedule and seeing
  different people…which does not leave a lot of time to
  be consumed by homesickness.
• Focus on the positive: When home in Boston seems
  light-years away from Biola, remember what you are
  gaining from going to a school an unfamiliar
  environment. Instead of dwelling on what you are missing
  in your hometown, recall all the fun and new encounters
  you have had while at Biola and how you can tell your
  family about these experiences when you return home.
• Keep in contact: It might sound cliché, but your close
  friends and family are just a phone call away. If you
  maintain good relationships with them, sometimes “home”
  might not seem so far (even if you are an international
  student).
• Explore: If you have never gone to school in
  California (or have never lived in this area of
  California), you could always explore the Biola
  community and places nearby. Find out how this area of
  Southern California is different from your hometown. If
  you learn about the different places around Biola, the
  new surroundings won’t seem so foreign after a while.
• We’re all in this together: Realize that you’re not
  alone. Talk to a friend, counselor, professor, or RA if
  you are having trouble coping. Homesickness is not a
  weakness; it’s natural to miss the familiar environment
  you grew up in while trying to adjust to new situations
  and people. Trust me, you are not the only one to have
  experienced homesickness while at Biola, and if you
  share your feelings with someone, you might find
  additional ways to adjust.