When the Holidays Feel Far From Home: Healing Homesickness for International Students
- Megan Gu, PhD
- 49 minutes ago
- 2 min read
When the autumn leaves begin to change color, the holiday atmosphere quietly starts to grow. First come all the different pumpkins and chrysanthemums. Then homes light up with cheerful decorations in every color. At night, the festive lights look warm and beautiful… yet somehow also a little overwhelming. Many people wish they could enjoy the holiday spirit just as easily as those around them. But sometimes, a sense of heaviness appears. Sometimes the heart feels as if it has been left somewhere far away. Often, this is homesickness. Homesickness during the holidays is especially common for international students adjusting to life far from home.
For those living abroad, it is common to work and study hard in front of others while feeling a deep loneliness when alone. There may also be a mix of emotions that are hard to name — the pride of striving in a foreign place, the solitude of being on one’s own, the emptiness that can arise even in a crowd, and the uncertainty or helplessness about the future.
If you are also far from home, perhaps these feelings resonate with you. How do you speak to yourself during moments like these? How do these emotions show up in your body, your work, your studies, or your relationships?
Instead of ignoring these emotions or pushing them away, let’s meet them with openness. Let’s give ourselves time and space to gently notice:
Which feelings are familiar?
Which are new?
Which ones bring struggle or pain?
What might these emotions want to express?
What do you need in these moments?
How can you listen to yourself with care and compassion?
You are not alone in feeling this way.
Here are a few mindfulness-based practices that may help hold these emotions with gentleness:
Grounding through the senses. Take a slow breath and name 1–5 things you can see, hear, or feel in this moment. Let the present moment be a safe place for your attention to land.
Place a hand on your chest or abdomen. Notice the rise and fall of your breathing. Let the warmth of your hand remind you that comfort and support can come from within.
Allow the emotion to exist without fighting with it. Instead of pushing the heaviness away, try gently saying: “This is what is here right now.”
Practice gentle self-talk. Offer yourself a compassionate phrase, such as: "This is hard, and it’s understandable." "I can take this one moment at a time.”
Foster small moments of connection. Reach out to someone you trust, or allow yourself to engage in a comforting routine — a warm drink, a meaningful song, or a short walk — anything that reconnects you to a sense of groundedness.
Therapy can offer a space to cope with these feelings, discover new insights, and develop resilience. You don’t have to sort through everything alone. If you would like a space to talk about your stress, feelings, or more, please reach out on how we can best support you in making the next meaningful step in your journey.