Taking the Stress Out of College

Katie realized that the things she'd been realistic about turned out to be the easiest to deal with. She'd expected to find it hard living away from home, not only in terms of missing her family but also in dealing with practical stuff like washing her own clothes. But, because she anticipated these issues, Katie found them less stressful.

Living away from home tends to be the toughest adjustment for first-year students. You've had a clear role within your family all of your life: the family comedian, the mediator, maybe the translator. Whichever role you filled at home, when you're gone, you're not sure where you fit in. It may seem like your family is doing fine without you, and you may feel uncomfortable or sad about these changes.

You may also feel homesick in your first weeks and months. The first thing you should know if you're longing for your old scene, friends, or even your bratty little siblings, is that homesickness is very common. In fact, just about everyone experiences it at some point in his or her life. So how do you deal with feeling lonely or left out?

Try to identify your feelings and fears, and talk about what you're going through. The sooner you deal with these issues, the sooner you'll feel better. If you are homesick, it can help to call, write, or email your parents, other family members, and friends from home to let them know how you're doing and to tell them you miss them.

Who else can you talk to? For starters, that person sharing the dorm room with you. Roommates can be great built-in buddies. As first-year students themselves, they're probably experiencing many of the same fears and worries that you're dealing with.