Feeling Homesick or Burned Out? Here’s How to Actually Deal With It
First, take a breath.
If you’re reading this because you’re missing home or just totally wiped out — hey, you’re not broken.
This stuff happens to way more people than you probably realize. (Seriously — even the ones who look like they’ve got it all together.)
Let’s walk through it without the fake pep talks, yeah?
🏠 Homesickness Hits Different
Homesickness isn’t just “I miss my mom’s cooking.” It can sneak up like:
Feeling weirdly alone in a crowd.
Wanting your old bed, your old life, your old anything.
Wondering if you even belong where you are now.
It’s not a failure. It’s a sign that you had something good before. That’s powerful.
Now you just have to build something good here too. (And you will.)
How to Handle Homesickness (Without Pretending You’re Fine)
💡 Make Your Space Feel Yours
Toss up fairy lights, bring that ratty blanket you’ve had since 7th grade, stick Polaroids on the wall — anything that makes your dorm or apartment feel like home turf, not a hotel.
📅 Call Home — But on Your Terms
It’s easy to overdo it and make yourself more homesick.
Set a chill schedule — like a Sunday night FaceTime — so you stay connected without getting stuck in a cycle of missing everything.
🚶♂️ Get Out of the Bubble
Even if you don’t feel like it. Walk to a coffee shop, hit a student event, check out the farmer’s market.
New routines create new roots. That’s how you grow here.
📝 Start a Low-Key Gratitude Habit
Write down three tiny good things every night. Like, “Saw a cute dog,” or “Had bomb nachos.”
It feels cheesy at first, but it actually rewires your brain to notice stuff that’s going right.
Your space affects your mood more than you realize. Use our Dorm Room Essentials Checklist to make your room feel more like home.
🔥 Burnout: When You’re Running on Fumes
Sometimes it’s not homesickness.
Sometimes you’re just…tired. Of everything.
Signs you’re burning out (and not just “kinda tired”):
Waking up more tired than when you went to bed.
Feeling irritated by, like, everything.
Losing interest in stuff you used to love.
Getting weird headaches, stomach problems, random colds.
If that sounds like you — it’s not laziness. It’s your body waving a giant red flag. 🚩
Feeling burned out? Sometimes it’s not just emotional—it’s about how we manage our days. Check out our time management tips and free planner templates to regain control.
🛠️ How to Actually Deal With Burnout
🛏️ Guard Your Sleep Like a Gremlin
Pulling all-nighters doesn’t make you a hero. It makes you cranky and inefficient.
Set a real bedtime, stick to it. Even if your roommate’s watching TikToks till 3 AM.
📅 Break Your To-Do List Into Baby Tasks
Instead of “Write English paper,” try “Open Word Doc.” → “Write 1 paragraph.”
(Seriously. Momentum matters more than motivation.)
🚫 Practice Saying “Nah, I’m Good”
You don’t have to say yes to every club, every shift, every hangout.
It’s okay to pick yourself.
🎨 Do Something Useless on Purpose
Color in a stupid coloring book. Play guitar badly. Watch trashy reality TV.
Not everything has to “build your resume.” Some things should just build your happiness.
🏃♂️ Move — Even a Little
Walk around the block. Stretch for 5 minutes. Jump around to one song.
Movement isn’t about losing weight or whatever — it shakes the stress out of your body.
📈 Real Story: Alex’s Crash (And Comeback)
Alex, a junior majoring in biochem, said:
“I kept piling on more — research lab, two jobs, 18 credits — until one night I literally fell asleep in the library sitting up.“
“I finally dropped one job and started going to the gym just to walk while listening to stupid podcasts. No pressure. A month later? I didn’t hate life anymore.“
Biggest lesson? If you don’t make time to rest, your body will make you — usually in ways you won’t like. 😬
✨ TL;DR
Homesickness = normal. Burnout = normal.
Neither means you’re failing.
Tiny steps every day actually fix way more than giant dramatic overhauls.
If it feels too big to handle alone, talk to someone. (Campus counseling, a cool professor, a friend. Anyone.)
Healing isn’t a straight line. It’s messy. You’re doing better than you think. 💛
📥 Bonus Goodies: Download These Freebies
✅ Self-Care Menu (Things to Do When You Feel Like Trash)
✅ Burnout Check-In Tracker (Are You Okay?)
(We’ll update this page with working links real soon 👀)
📌 Last Thing
You belong here.
Even if it doesn’t feel like it today — you are finding your place, one messy, brave step at a time. 💬🌱
Struggling with adjusting to campus life? Dive into our full library of student wellness and life-on-campus guides to help you thrive.
