Leave homesickness at home

I don't understand why when someone misses home- he or she is called homesick.

To me the word homesick means the exact opposite. Technically, if you were “homesick”, you should be tired of sleeping in the same-old, tired bedroom that you grew up in, the same room that used to store stacks of toys. The same bedroom that eventually evolved into a shrine to your favourite band, with pictures of your high school friends scattered on the walls.

You would think the main reason why everyone goes away to school is because they are sick of home and want to try something new on their own.

For those who have recently moved to London and left home for the first time, you should look at the college experience as a new beginning, rather than the scary event of leaving behind everything you find comforting.

When I first came to London, I left behind a hoard of friends, who where either leaving for the first time themselves or staying at home for an extra round of high school.

Even though my parents missed me, I wasn't allowed to come home until Thanksgiving. The same went for both of my sisters who went away before me, and it worked perfectly. We had to go out on our own, make new friends and create new experiences, without the option of returning until we felt comfortable in our new surroundings.

Although the first couple of weeks were hard, not going home for a month and half was the best thing for me. I honestly think every first-year who has moved here to go to school should try to stay in town for the first couple of weeks and participate in as many events as possible.

College is as much about socializing, trying new things and maturing, as it is about education. Ya sure, paying bills, going into an insane amounts of debt and the pressures of school can tempt anyone to crawl back home, but the majority of students you meet are going through the same thing.

Getting in the habit of going home every weekend only extends the enviable. At some point in your life you're going to have to cut the cord on your parents and high school friends in order to create a life of your own. If not, you could end up living in your parent's basement at age 45, asking them if you can borrow the car to go to the mall.

And who wants that?

Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.