Another weekend rolls around which, for most of us here at DU, is something to celebrate. Making it through another jam-packed week of classes and work deserves a few days of fun. For others however, the free time that the weekends provide serve as a reminder of all of the things we miss back home.
As we cross over the halfway mark for the first quarter, many students are still faced with the classic struggle: homesickness. For most of us, it’s the first time we have been away from the safety and security of home and family. According to a 1992 study, roughly two-thirds of freshmen are homesick for the first week or so, which is to be expected. The same study concluded that after eight weeks, only 18% of freshmen reported feeling homesick. What does this mean? It gets better.
As a student who came to DU from over 1000 miles away, I’ve found it very difficult to motivate myself to be outgoing. Many of the people that I have met have the luxury of going home on the weekends or whenever they miss their families. A drive home for me would be a two-day venture, so I (along with countless others) have to find means of entertaining myself here in Denver.
Luckily, we have the fortune of living in a very progressive and innovative city. From walking the 16th Street Mall, to visiting the downtown zoo or aquarium, to touring the U.S. Mint, there are tons of ways to keep yourself busy during all of that free time. After all, the best way to pass time is to fill your schedule to the brim. Don’t allow yourself the time to miss home, because you’ll be back there in only a few more weeks. You’ve made it this far, just keep powering through.
Spend your time doing what makes you happy (that’s why we’re here, after all), whether that be surrounding yourself with new friends, going hard at the gym or even simply exploring this beautiful city by lightrail. The key is: it’s all up to you. The only person who can control how you feel is you. So if you’re tired of moping around and wishing you were somewhere else, stop. Text a classmate or friend and ask to explore, or hit the library and study up for those midterms. There is always a new leaf to be turned over, and new territory to explore, and we have the perfect opportunity right in front of us.
And if you’re lucky enough to fall in that group of freshmen who doesn’t miss home at all, extend a hand to someone who is struggling. Even something as simple as a study group can help to bring people out of their shells and give them confidence to reach out. Let the second half of this quarter be an adventure-filled one.
