Feeling homesick? You’re not alone

Millie Treat yourself whenever you feel low and then you could potentially fill some more time by going to classes at the gym where you can also meet other people and make sure to eat and sleep well because that can have such a massive impact on your mood!

I hated my first year, people kept telling me it wouldn’t be like that for 3 years and I refused to believe them, now I do loads of things outside my course so I’ve met loads of people and I’m too busy to think about home! I wish I’d done that all through my first year it would’ve made it so much better. 

Naomi Do some home baking! Makes me think of home, but simultaneously makes my current home feel more like home.

Lauren Try not talking to people back home as much - they're likely to remind you of things that you're missing more or if they're having a great time and you're a bit fed up, it can bring you down. Plus then, when you do speak to them it's more special

Imman Homesickness is very difficult, I myself went through it. One of the tips I’d give is to socialise with other people; maybe people from your home country/city, engaging with new friends. Getting yourself involved in everyday life and not just putting your hands on your cheeks and thinking back home, I’ve found this works in some way or another.

Lauren I could probably write a book on this, I'm doing a year abroad right now and I'm really homesick. There're 2 things to consider I think: keeping in touch with the friends you've left behind, and doing things in your new country/city to make yourself feel better and more at home. 

Arrange Skype dates with your friends, send each other letters. Facebook is obviously a good resource too, but avoid looking through photo albums of all your friends having a really good time together - without you! And don't rush home too often - I just backed out of a trip back to England because I could see myself getting into a habit of it. That and I'd probably just spend the entire weekend crying about how much I hate Berlin and want to be back in Manchester permanently.

As for making yourself feel more at home... I'm pretty bad at this myself. Making new friends is much easier in a University environment. Exploring and discovering the city comes with time. I'm really fed up of people telling me it gets better in time, although I have to admit, they're right. Culture shock was a huge problem for me. I still see some things as being "wrong" rather than "different" - the usual example for Germany being how unfriendly and businesslike people always seem.