Being away from home can be a little strange at first. Don't worry if you feel homesick at a UK boarding school and are missing your parents, friends or even your usual food. That’s only natural.
Living and studying in the UK is all about meeting new people, trying new things and discovering new ways to enjoy yourself while you’re here. Sometimes it can take a few weeks or even the first term to feel at home in a new school and get to know teachers and other students well.
The first and most important priority should be looking after your overall health. Getting enough sleep while at school is essential, especially if you’re adjusting to a big time change due to international travel. When you get enough sleep, you’ll have more energy for your studies as well as settling in and making friends.
One of the many benefits of a UK boarding school is all the interesting activities you can try. If you have favourite activities like drama, rugby, or playing an instrument, you are encouraged to explore them further while at school. If you want to try new activities, you can do that too. Keeping your diary full of studies, activities, and spending time with your housemates will help keep homesickness at bay.
It can be tempting to sit alone in your room and spend your time messaging or calling home. While it may temporarily feel nice to be in contact with your loved ones, it may mean missing out on meeting people and making new friends. When all the students are playing sports or chatting - join in.
If you're really struggling to settle in, then find a member of staff at school to have a quiet chat and tell them how you feel – they will be looking out for you. Your House Parent and school will make sure you’ve got lots of exciting things to do while you settle in. If you need additional support, you can always give us a call and your Guardianship Care Manager will be happy to help.
Feeling homesick at a UK boarding school won't last forever - when you follow the strategies above, you'll adjust more quickly than you think.
"When I first came to school, to prevent my homesickness I used to Skype my parents and my friends every single day.
I mostly felt homesick just before the holidays when I was looking forward to seeing my parents.
Now I am not homesick at all. I Skype my parents only once a week. I’ve settled in."
Anatoly, 14-year old student from Russia
However you may be feeling, remember that everyone feels the same way at some point and many of the other students will be looking for new friends. You’re not alone. Find someone at school you can share your feelings with and remember that before you know it, your new life will feel very familiar and you’ll have settled in with a thriving social life.
If you are a parent of an international student at a UK boarding school, we understand how hard it is to be away from them while they are settling into their new life. One way you can help them acclimate is by maintaining consistent contact but keeping it fairly limited. We recommend chatting to them at least once a week, but not so frequently that it keeps them from engaging with their new friends and surroundings. Keeping this routine will ensure they gain their independence, spend time with their new friends, and enjoy the experience of living away from home.
Here are some extra tips to keep in mind:
UK boarding schools typically require international students under the age of 18 to have an appointed guardian. This person or company should be someone close to your school to help you at any time.
Although you might think that boarding school staff, host families or friends living nearby can act as a guardian, there's many situations that require a professional.
For example, Academic Families has local staff across the UK and we are on-hand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so we can quickly fix problems such as getting stuck in the airport or even simply running out of cash while in town or on a school trip. Since we started our business in 2012, we have never found a problem we couldn't resolve.
As the days go by, we're also here to ensure you settle in at boarding school - making new friends, trying new activities and enjoying your classes. We can even help you find a tutor if you need a bit of extra help academically or secure you a spot on a short summer course that matches your academic interests.
When school is closed during short breaks or holidays, as your guardian, Academic Families will also find you a local British family to welcome you into their home so you have a safe, comfortable place to stay. Your host family will be interested in supporting an international student just like you and want you to feel at home and join in with their family life.
As your appointed guardian, Academic Families can take care of everything and anything you need!
This article appears in the following categories Boarding School Life, Guardianship, Students
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