Moving away from home, whether across the country or overseas, is a significant step for anybody in their life. It’s the chance to get out on your own and find your place in the world, but it’s also terrifying, no matter how much of a brave front you put on.
One of the biggest things that impact us in these adventures is homesickness. You might have spent your entire life wishing you could get away, but it’s only when you’re finally away that you miss the comforts of familiar surroundings. You could turn around and go back, but that would mean being untrue to yourself. Instead, you must continue going forward, and remember your roots in your new home.
A Fresh Start, or The Next Chapter?
Many people will consider moving away to be a brand new start in their life, but this means that they risk forgetting who they are and where they came from. Of course, it’s exciting to feel you’ve got a clean slate and can start all over, but this isn’t a full reflection of who you are.
So, when you’re looking for housing, a place to work, or just exploring your new city, don’t forget about where you came from. Instead, look at this opportunity as the next chapter in your life. Ding so will help you to maintain the bonds with your past, your family, friends, and experiences that have brought you here in the first place, and this is crucial to maintaining your roots and avoiding possible homesickness.
Decorate the Surfaces
For many, your apartment or home is your sanctuary. It’s the place you can go to get away from the world. As you’ll be surrounded by four walls, you get the chance to decorate it however you like.
If you’ve never lived alone before, then this allows you to design a house that is entirely you. With this opportunity, you can bring pieces of your past into your present by decorating the walls with photographs of home, and happy times with friends and family. This can ease the sting of homesickness you’re bound to experience at first and enables you to keep a strong link with your home.
Cosy Home Comforts
Besides decoration, you can also think about making the home as cosy as possible. Start by looking for furniture that reminds you of home and tells a story, as this will immediately make you feel like you’ve never left while still giving you the excitement of the next chapter.
If you’ve moved from a cold country to a hot one or vice versa, you might not be able to get the atmosphere as homey as you like, but this is okay. Often, even a small trinket such as a fluffy blanket is enough to fill your new home with the memories of your old home, and it can be a marvellous way to anchor yourself when you’re feeling adrift.
The Right Aromas
Aromas are one of the biggest triggers for vivid memories, and this means they are a fantastic way to keep your past alive wherever you are in the world. If you’re starting to feel homesick, filling the house with scents that remind you of the past can ease any sadness and even make you appreciative of what you have now.
One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to do this is by cooking your favourite childhood meals. The mixture of spices and stock will conjure up memories of those times where your parents spend all afternoon cooking something delicious. Once you’re finished, you can relax in front of the TV with a comforting home-cooked meal, and there are few things better than this.
Maintain Your Routine
While scents and photographs are an excellent way to remember your roots, they are not the only way for you to do so. Moving to another city or country can severely impact your routine, and this is why it’s important to maintain it.
You should try to do this as soon as possible. If you’re used to going for a run first thing in the morning, keep this up. If your Saturday mornings were spent taking a walk around the city, make sure you do this, too. You may have to make some changes, but the closer you stick to your routine, the closer you’ll feel to home.
Home Away from Home
It can be difficult to create a home away from home no matter who you are. No matter how much you engage with the local culture, or how many friends you make along the way, it still won’t feel completely like a home. But, you can still find ways to keep your roots firmly planted in the ground and bring a little bit of home with you wherever you go.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.
