Homesickness Essay

Going away to college is characterized by two big changes: moving out and living independently without the comfort of parents, siblings, and old friends. Students are forced to make new acquaintances, care for their own needs, and adjust to new situations, routines, and most importantly a different environment. Although many students do not confess this, about 60% to70% of those who reside away from home for the first time develop feelings of homesickness (Van Tilburg, Vingerhoets, & Van Heck, 1999). Of that, about 7% to 10% develop a serious form of homesickness (Eurelings-Bontekoe, Brouwers, Verschuur, & Duijsens, 1998). These studies suggest that homesickness is a prevalent problem for college students. The purpose of this paper is to research

Furthermore, it affects their personal well-being and every day-life activities (Burt, 1993; Stroebe, Van Vliet, Hewstone, & Willis, 2002; Van Tilburg & Vingerhoets, 1997). Thurber and Walton (2012) reported that homesickness is an impairment caused by an actual or anticipated separation from home. Its main manifestation revolves around the preoccupying thoughts of home and attachment to familiar objects. Homesickness can be expressed in various ways, such as negative emotions, obsessive thoughts about home, negative thoughts about the new environment, and physical and behavioral symptoms (Fisher, 1989). The behavioral symptoms typically reported are anxiety, depression, withdrawn behavior and difficulty focusing on topics unrelated to home. However, intense homesickness can be painful and debilitating (Tochkov, Levine, & Sanaka, 2010; Fisher, 1989). Conversely, in its milder form, homesickness can prompt the development of coping skills and motivate healthy attachment behaviors, such as renewing contact with loved ones or establishing new relationships. Nearly all people miss something about home when they are away, making homesickness a nearly universal