How to DIY your way out of homesickness

We’ve been thrust into a perilous new town (bike theft is no joke), full of scary new faces and a bizarre lifestyle some call "tradition". In such circumstance it’s inevitable that you may feel homesick and crave normality — but fear not! At least one of these tips will definitely, 100% guaranteed, make it all better. Flat packed and instructions included.

1) Ring your family

Call your parents for a chat. It’s great to catch up with them, to hear their voices and to simply to be reminded that they are always there to support you. Plus, after approximately three minutes of ‘yes mum I’m eating fruit’, ‘no mum I’m not drinking too much’, ‘yes mum I’m being safe’ you will soon remember how annoying your family are, and suddenly you’ll feel much less sad. Miraculous.

2) Socialise
Successful for all types of student. Around one hour in the college bar or the JCR ought to do the trick. The common introvert (Mathmos I'm looking at you) will be reminded that they despise human interaction and actually prefer being alone in their room; thus the desire to go home and see friends and family will be eradicated. Equally, the extrovert (a rare breed of student here) will actually ENJOY spending time with people and feel much better for doing so. Happy vibes all round.

3) Explore the city

Realising that where you live is a bit of a shithole in comparison to this beautiful town will probably make you miss home less.

4) Go to the University Library

No, seriously. This place is honestly the maze from the Triwizard Tournament. It’s mental. The tantalising combination of excitement and fear you experience as you attempt to escape is so immense that you’ll soon forget about missing home.

gang gang

5) Immerse yourself in Cambridge culture

Walk down the street and narrowly avoid being run over by a bike. Go punting and fall into the river. Go to Gardies at 3am and eat grease galore. Go to Sainsbury’s in your pyjamas. Become a parody of yourself and go to Spoons' in your gown. Embrace the stereotype. Self-deprecation is the remedy to all ills.

6) Facetime

The technological wizards came THRUUU with this one. When you need to feel close to that special someone from home, nothing beats it. It’s like you’re physically together, and many beautiful, passionate virtual memories can be made in this way…

Hey there gorgeous <33

7) Do some work

You’ve come to Cambridge to study the subject you love, and sometimes just immersing yourself in your discipline can rekindle your passion for academia and your sheer excitement about being here (rather than at home). Plus, doing work means that instead of feeling sad and lonely you can just feel miserable and stressed instead. It's called displacement.

8)…Drink?

Vodka. Just so much vodka. If you can’t remember your parents then you can't be sad. Possible side effects may include failing your degree and being kicked off the course. BUT there is a silver lining: you’ll see your family sooner and there you go—you aren’t homesick anymore.
(NB: The Tab does not advocate binge drinking. Like, go hard but not too hard).

9) Netflix

Remember A-levels? Or, more specifically, remember procrastinating during your A-levels by binge watching Netflix? Well prepare to feel nostalgic because literally nothing has changed. There is absolutely no reason to feel homesick, as the only change in your routine is that you now ignore your flatmates instead of your parents. Who even wants a first anyway?

Spotted: a rogue student in its natural habitat

A term at Cambridge is essentially 8 weeks of all-nighters, more deadlines than you can count, and more work than is actually humanly possible. For real. But it’s also an amazing opportunity to meet new people and experience things that you couldn’t anywhere else (not even at Oxf*rd). Before you know it, it’ll be time to head home and see your family again.

…And about 2 hours after that, when the novelty wears off, you’ll want to head straight back here. Trust.