I’ve been away from home for nearly two whole months now, and it’s finally hitting me: I’m incredibly homesick.
It’s strange, because I love UBC and it feels like my second home (well, third; Disneyland is second) but I can’t help but miss Hong Kong. I miss my parents, even my mum’s endless nagging; I miss the home-cooked food, I miss my crazy friends, I miss my bed, I miss McDonalds delivery – can you believe most places here don’t deliver, at least not for free? – and sometimes I even miss the ridiculous heat and humidity. Sometimes. And it doesn’t help that a few days ago, Disneyland sent me an email inviting me to spend my 18th birthday there. What, adulthood? What is that, some kind of weird disease?
Luckily, despite my debilitating homesickness, I feel like I’ve found a new home here. I’m so grateful that I live on res and have found a super awesome group of friends who feel like family. Living on res is extremely fun (shoutout to the nunnery aka Kootenay) even if it does mean you probably don’t get to see your family as much. Somehow, all the spooning, the jam sessions with Titch, the 2am walks to Mcdonalds – on a Monday night – and the nightly Chubbard’s runs are all cures for homesickness.
The key to curing homesickness is to get involved. You only get as much as you put in – so if you’re feeling homesick, don’t just spend all your time Skyping or calling your family and friends who live 6000 miles away, as tempting as that may seem. Vanier and Totem provide lots of opportunities for involvement, like the ongoing Sock Wars, floor/house dinners and sports like Ultimate. If you treat UBC like your new home, with your new friends who feel like your new family, it’s hard to be homesick – because you’re already home. :)
пока! (That’s Russian for see you later, or so my friend tells me!)
Olivia
P.S. I felt like giving some music recommendations this week (notice the optimistic assumption that I’m going to make a post every week) so here they are
TUNES:
From Finner – Of Monsters and Men
Adulthood – Jukebox the Ghost
Helplessness Blues – Fleet Foxes
Mercy – Yeezy
93 Million Miles – Jason Mraz
Chicago – Sufjan Stevens
Follow
I was incredibly homesick too, when I first got here – actually, it lasted until nearly February. Actually, I still get homesick sometimes. But you’re right, if you get involved and find a group of friend you gel with you’ll be okay :) And before you know it the year will be over and you’ll be sad to leave!
I know exactly what you mean – I can’t even imagine not seeing my friends during Christmas break!
Yesss. Music recommendations/blog playlists are the best. :D
They definitely are :) Quite a few of the artists I listen to now were discovered through other people’s blog playlists :D