Hey y'all! My name is Natasha, and I am a junior at Dartmouth College. I'm majoring in history and minoring in public policy and Chinese. In my free time, I love to watch New Girl, hang out with my friends, and explore the Upper Valley. Dartmouth is a pretty neat place— I hope you enjoy reading my posts about life here!
Academic Program
History Major and Minors in Public Policy and Chinese
The summer before coming to Dartmouth, I was anxious about moving thousands of miles away from my friends and parents. Once I arrived on campus, however, many of these worries quickly dissipated. Within only a couple of weeks, I met a countless number of amazing people-- many of whom are still my friends today! Now, don't get me wrong, there were definitely days where I missed my friends and family. But having a strong support system on campus allowed me to enjoy my time at Dartmouth and not be too homesick. While I am by no means an all-knowing sage who can cure anyone's homesickness, I do have a few tips on how to deal with it.
1. Make New Friends
Dartmouth does a great job of acclimating first-years to their new surroundings by immersing them in student life as soon as they arrive on campus. Trips, which is a multi-day excursion, is a freshman's first introduction to the college. On trips, you get to meet other first-years and bond over your shared experience in the outdoors. Orientation is another event where you get to meet a countless number of first-year students. Be bold and make new friends during this time! You just might meet someone who you relate to and who will make you feel a little less homesick. And even if you don't meet anyone you instantly click with before classes start, don't worry! You have so much time to forge new relationships and meet incredible people at Dartmouth.
2. Stay in Touch with Your Family and Friends From Back Home
Consistently setting a time to talk to my parents and friends also helped me avoid feeling homesick during my first term at Dartmouth. It was so much fun to catch up with them and share all the new, fun things I was doing on campus while also hearing about life back home. Reaching out to people from home will alleviate your sense of homesickness and make you even more excited about your new college life.
3. Recognize That Feeling Homesick is Normal
It is totally normal to feel a bit of homesickness, especially during your first term at Dartmouth. But remember that you are not alone! From your new friends at Dartmouth to your friends and family back home, there is a plentitude of people who care for you and want to see you succeed. Reach out to them and take comfort in the fact that your feeling of homesickness will soon fade, and you will be thriving on campus in no time!
While many people might associate cold, long, snowy winters with hardship, I've found that winter at Dartmouth is full of potential to be just as fun as other seasons.
