When university doesn’t feel like home (yet)

---

Guest series special for World Mental Health Day 2026

By Lara D, youth guest author

Reflecting on homesickness at uni: how to navigate the transition to living alone.

Leaving for university is often framed as the moment when you magically become an adult, even if
you’ve technically been 18 since the September before. With parents often describing it as the best years
of their lives, it’s easy to get swept up in the promise of Wednesday socials, new friends, Pot Noodle
dinners, and complete independence. But once the move-in rush ends and you find yourself sitting in
your accommodation staring at your life packed into boxes, the homesickness starts to creep in.

Knowing why this happens, and having a few tricks to deal with it, can help your new room go from
feeling strange and lonely, to feeling like yours.

1. Understanding Homesickness
   Missing home isn’t just about wanting to be back in your old bedroom. It is its own kind of grief, as you
   mourn the familiarity of your daily habits, surroundings you know inside out, and the support network
   of people who’ve known you for years.
   Human brains are hardwired to want predictability. So when everything changes in a single afternoon,
   from the place, to the people, to your routine; it’s completely normal to panic. It usually shows up in
   three main areas:
   Emotional signs: Feeling down, anxious, or overwhelmed by simple daily tasks, or just feeling
   disconnected from the people around you.
   Physical signs: Not eating properly, sleeping poorly, feeling constantly exhausted, or dealing with
   random headaches/stomachaches. (Keep in mind that these can be symptoms of a lot of different things, and if they are persistent you should always consult your GP).
   Cognitive signs: Difficulty concentrating on lectures, idealizing your life back home, or constantly
   second-guessing your decision to go to uni.
2. How To Settle In To Your Space
   So, where do you go from here?
   a. Make the space yours
   When you arrive at uni, your room can look like just four walls and a mattress. It takes a little effort to
   make it actually feel like home. Don’t leave your things in boxes. Put photos on the wall (check out
   FreePrints for this), throw a familiar blanket on the bed, or use a candle that smells like home. Don’t let
   the fear of losing your deposit stop you from settling in (just remember that Command hooks and
   museum putty are more wall-friendly than Blu Tack).
   b. Build a daily routine
   When everything else around you is changing, routine can be one thing that stays the same. You don’t
   have to color-code your entire day, just start with a few low-effort habits:

• Stick to a rough sleep schedule if you can.
• Keep regular meal times so your body knows what to expect.
• Get outside for a short walk every day (or at the very least, get out of bed, even if it’s just to drag
  yourself to the kitchen after a night out).
  c. Socialise at your own pace
  Hardly anyone actually meets their ‘forever friends’ in the first three days, so don’t feel like you need to
  force instant deep bonds. Keeping your room door propped open, saying hello to flatmates in the shared kitchen, and joining a couple societies (signing up for everything will just burn you out so pick things you’ll genuinely enjoy) take the pressure off making friends. You’ll find your people.
  d. Explore your new surroundings
  Feeling lost in a new city can add to the stress. The sooner you get your bearings, the faster it will start to feel like yours. Take an afternoon to explore outside your campus: find a local coffee shop, locate the nearest park, and figure out the public transport routes. Build your own map of go-to’s.
  
• Knowing When To Reach Out
  It’s okay if self-help tips aren’t enough on their own. University is a major transition, and asking for help
  is a sign of self-awareness, not weakness.

Where to find support:

• University Wellbeing Services: Most universities offer free counseling and have student
  support teams set up.
• Nightline: A student-run listening and information service where you can call or chat
  anonymously about whatever’s on your mind.
• Your GP: If anxiety related (or unrelated) to homesickness is affecting your daily life, your
  doctor can discuss local mental health resources or therapy options.
• Charity Services and Support Lines: Organizations like Mind, the Samaritans, or local mental
  health charities offer free, confidential help whenever you need someone to talk to outside uni.
• Stay in touch: Drop a call or text to your family and friends back home; they definitely want to hear how you’re doing.

About the author:

Lara is a third year English student at the University of Cambridge. Since starting university, she developed an interest in journalism through writing for Varsity, Cambridge’s student newspaper, in the Film & TV section. Her experience with mental health advocacy began earlier during sixth form, when she was part of the student leadership mental health team, focusing on creating spaces where people felt heard and supported. She has kindly offered to write a series of articles for GRIT to bring these experiences together, particularly as she navigates the transition from adolescence into adulthood, and to contribute to honest, accessible conversations around mental health.