The biggest problem many students face when starting college is dealing with being away from home, perhaps for the first time. At first the excitement of finally being free from your parents’ rules and expectations hits, but then the novelty of it all starts to wear off. You go from seeing people you’ve seen almost every day for roughly 18 years to only seeing them on breaks, and that can be difficult.

Freshmen have the biggest issue with tackling their homesickness, but luckily their resident assistants can help them cope with it. However, as you begin to get more acclimated here at Binghamton University, there are other ways than just talking to your RA to help with this problem.

Making friends with your roommate and/or suitemates as well as the people in your hall is a good way to start. It’s also advisable to get to know the people in your classes; that way you can have someone to talk to about all the little things, like how dumb your last quiz was, how to solve No. 9 on the homework assignment or how the teacher wears the same outfit every day.

“I was very homesick when I first moved in last year,” said Juliana Girard, a sophomore majoring in anthropology. “Once I got into a group of things and got some friends, I began to feel a lot better about being away from home.”

Another way to forget the separation from home is to get involved on campus. Joining a club or a sports team is a great way to spend your time, so you’re not just sitting by yourself alone in your room. Plus, it’s another good way to meet people and make friends.

If you don’t feel like joining anything quite yet, you can get to know the campus just by attending campus events. There are events going on around BU all the time, which you can find on B-Line or on the campus calendar of events. Just go to one and get into it.

Although being homesick is an issue that hits freshmen the hardest as it can be difficult to adjust to a new atmosphere, even upperclassmen miss home from time to time.

Shelby Wilson, a junior majoring in anthropology, feels that everyone gets homesick at some point during their four years at school.

“I got through it by getting involved and reaching out to my friends here at Binghamton,” she said. “You never have to be alone here if you don’t want to be.”

A helpful hint to avoid those homesick blues is to limit the time you’re talking to your family or whoever you’re missing back home, at least at first. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t talk to them at all; just avoid spending excessive amounts of time calling or Skyping them until you’re feeling less homesick. Otherwise, you could just end up missing them more.

Instead spend that time getting to know your way around campus and figuring out what niche you fit in. Even if you just absorb yourself into your schoolwork it can help. Your schooling is the whole reason you’re here, so make sure you don’t neglect what is going on in your classes.

Even starting a journal can be helpful for coping with missing your family. Writing down all your feelings is a great outlet for expressing your sad feelings without getting upset and crying by yourself.

Everyone goes through some version of homesickness, and it’s OK to be sad or scared. Moving to a new place and living with people you’ve never seen before can be overwhelming for anyone. Hopefully these tips can help conquer how you’re feeling. There’s always a way to fight it, as long as you’re willing to make the effort.