Homesick after Moving Away from Family? 13 Steps to Get Through It

Co-authored by Donna Novak, Psy.D and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 8, 2023 References

Whether you moved for work, school, or just to explore a new area, moving away from your family can be really hard. Experiencing homesickness after moving away from your family is totally normal, and it might happen all at once or in short bursts over time. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help yourself cope after moving away from home. Read through these tips and tricks to make yourself feel better and more at home in your new place.

1

Let yourself be sad after moving away from your family.

Moving away is tough, and that’s okay. If you feel like you need to cry a little bit, do it! There’s no harm in being sad for a day or two.^{[1]
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- Emotions only start to get detrimental if you let yourself be sad for too long. Take the time to be sad, but don’t let your sadness take over your life.

2

Bring along comforts from home.

Remind yourself of your family with a souvenir. Maybe you have a favorite blanket that you used to sleep with, or maybe you could grab a recipe for your favorite dessert. It won’t be exactly the same, but you can take some creature comforts with you to make yourself feel more at home.^{[2]
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- You could also carry on some family traditions. If you always had a family dinner on Friday nights, host a dinner with your friends on Fridays instead.

3

Reach out to friends.

They can distract you or offer advice. When you’re feeling down, see if a friend wants to go grab a drink or a cup of coffee. Let them know that you’re missing your family members, and see if they can relate at all.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Donna Novak, Psy.D
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}^{[4]
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- This is especially true if you’re in college. A lot of people around your age are leaving home for the first time, so you’ll probably be able to relate to each other.
- If you don't know anyone in the area yet, try joining a local group or using an app like Meetup to meet people.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Donna Novak, Psy.D
  Licensed Clinical Psychologist
  Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}

4

Stay busy.

You won’t have time to be sad if you’re swamped. Dive into work, hobbies, responsibilities, and hanging out with friends. Before you know it, you’ll have been in your new place for 6 months without even realizing it.^{[6]
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- If you’re in college, try joining a club or a sport for some extracurricular activities.

5

Stick to a routine.

It will stop sadness from taking over your life. As you live your life, try your best to stick to a general daily routine that’s easy to follow. It doesn’t have to be super rigorous, but the structure can help distract you and keep you busy so you don’t get too sad.^{[7]
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- Maybe you get out of bed around 8, go for a run, eat breakfast, head to work, go to a class, come home, and eat dinner.

6

Try out a new hobby.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try? Maybe you’ve never been rock climbing before, or maybe your friend invited you to play Dungeons and Dragons with them. A fun new hobby can help distract you from your feelings and make you happier in your new home.^{[8]
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- Joining clubs and hobby groups is also a great way to meet new people in a brand-new area.

7

Get out and explore.

The place you moved to is probably pretty cool. Hit up museums, coffee shops, and local landmarks to familiarize yourself with the area. You could go with a few friends or even head out on your own. If you don’t have a car, try taking public transportation instead.^{[9]
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- If you aren’t sure where to go, look up a list online of touristy things you can go visit. It’s always fun to be a new person in a new area!

8

Take care of your body.

You’ll feel better if you’re healthy and physically fit. Even though you miss your family, try not to let your health go by the wayside. Aim for 8 hours of sleep every night, try to eat balanced meals, and drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. You should also aim to get 30 minutes of exercise per day.^{[10]
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- Not only will exercising keep you physically fit, but it releases endorphins in your brain that can boost your mood and make you feel good.

9

Practice self-care.

Do something nice for yourself every day. You could take a bubble bath, do a face mask, paint your nails, listen to good music, or read a new book. Be gentle with yourself and your emotions as you adjust to being away from your family members.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Donna Novak, Psy.D
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.}^{[12]
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- You could also try baking, going for a nature walk, listening to a podcast, or playing with a pet.
- Self-care looks different for everyone, and you may have to try out a few different things until you find what works for you.

10

Keep in touch with your family.

Just because you moved away doesn't mean you can’t talk. Try to call your family members on the phone or schedule video chat visits every week. If you live close enough, you could even invite your family members to come and visit you every now and then!^{[13]
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- You can also send your family members photos and updates about what you’re doing and where you’ve been.

11

Stay away from social media.

Seeing your loved ones from back home could make you sad. If you’re really feeling down, try to take a break from Instagram or Facebook where you might stumble upon pics from home. You can come back to your socials once you’re not feeling so homesick anymore.^{[14]
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- Similarly, seeing your friends hang with their families can be a little disheartening.

12

Try not to compare yourself to others.

It might seem like everyone’s doing better than you are. However, that’s very rarely the case, and people often put on a front when they face the world. If your friends seem like they’ve got it all handled and aren’t homesick at all, don’t worry about it. Just keep track of you and your own progress as you deal with your new move.^{[15]
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- This is especially true on social media. People usually put their best selves online, and they very rarely show when they’re struggling.

13

Talk to a mental health professional if you need to.

Moving away from your family can be hard. If you’re finding it tough to cope, a mental health professional can help you work through your emotions. If you have insurance, find a therapist that’s covered under your provider for a reduced cost.^{[16]
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- If you’re in college, your school might have mental health services on campus that you can use for free.
- You can also try online counseling, which is usually cheaper than traditional therapy.