By Nur Najmi JamalÂ
Have you ever felt homesick? Homesickness has become a real problem for those who are moving abroad or moving away from their homes whether for studying, traveling or working for a long period of time. Homesickness can create a form of anxiety that can lead to lack of focus on your routine or purpose to be in that place.
A number of different reasons could contribute to homesickness. Â Difficulty in adjusting with the surrounding either with the people you encounter with or even the environment or the culture you are exposed to. Homesickness can be serious if you feel lonely and want a usual comfort with family members and friends like you used to have in your home country.
There are some tips which are doable and worth considering to reduce the problem of homesickness.
Firstly, maintain your habits or hobbies because by keeping your favourite hobbies you can make your new place feel like home and more welcoming. You can maintain by joining any volunteer group, going for activities like cycling or boating, or attending any club that you are interested in.
Keep your schedule busy. Get involved in activities that interest you or participate in events that are completely new. By getting yourself  involved in these activities you can expand your circles of friends who might share the same interest that you can spend time with.
Take along your home culture. When you are at a new place or surrounding, a new culture does not mean you have to absorb every aspect of it for you to feel a sense of belonging to the society. It’s okay once in a while to reject the culture that is against your practice. You do not have to push yourself too far from your original culture and belief because by being aware of your culture it can help to retain a little taste of home.
Homesickness is a real issue that can distract your focus in whatever task you do, but bear in mind that homesickness is something normal that can happen to those who are moving away from their comfort zone. Â Still, you don’t want to spend all the time wishing you were somewhere else.
So don’t let homesickness hold you back from exploring great things in life.***
Photo courtesy of Webster Journal Online