Moving away from home can be as scary as it is exciting, making it easy to feel overwhelmed. You're probably asking yourself a lot of questions but that's okay, everyone has the same doubts. If you're anything like me you probably get homesick just by going out for a few hours. Homesickness is never fun, it can make you feel all sorts of negative emotions and even make you feel physically ill. However, there are ways you can overcome this issue. 

Check out our residence options

Here at Ontario Tech, we've got a few different residence options depending on which campus you're on and what room style you'd like. A good way to prepare for residence is to get a head start on viewing our student residence options. With so many options it's good to look online and in person at what your options are.

By seeing our different dorm rooms you can also start to plan what to bring with you and how to style your room based on the size and layout! Looking online can be helpful but attending a tour can provide a better look at the place you'll be calling home! 

How to help homesickness

The dreaded feeling of homesickness may happen even if you are really happy and having a fun time at university. Sometimes we all miss our home a little but there are so many ways to combat these feelings. 

Bring home with you

One idea is to bring a piece of home with you. Maybe you already plan to take some furniture or larger items to help furnish your residence room. But you could also bring some smaller items to remind you of your home. Take a flower from your garden to grow in the dorm or your favourite mug. Maybe ask your parents if you can take something of theirs like a T-shirt or pillow so you can have them close by.

Set time aside to feel homesick

It might sound a little silly but rather than trying to bury these feelings or deal with them every day try and set a time to just let yourself feel a little homesick. It's okay to be sad or miss home and it's important to deal with these feelings in a healthy way. Whether you use the time to cry it out a little or call home and chat with the people you love is up to you! 

It can be hard to leave home, you'll miss the space, the people, your pets and just the overall vibe of being home but you have to remember that this change is a good thing even if it doesn't feel like it all the time! When that sense of sadness and homesickness becomes overwhelming, feel free to visit one of our mental health counsellors. They are here to support you with whatever is weighing on you. 

Prepping for residence

Obviously, there's a lot to do before moving in. Between packing and planning, you may find yourself feeling a little lost but the residence website has got you covered. You can find a list of suggestions on items to bring with you on the website so you can have a better understanding of what to pack. 

You can also check out the Frequently Asked Questions section for a better idea of what moving to residence will entail. 

Hopefully, now you feel even the tiniest bit less worried about transitioning to living on residence, despite the challenges that come with moving away from home you'll learn to love your time living on residence and be happy to call it your home away from home.

Want to learn more about residence?