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A physician and parent of two college students offers advice on homesickness, sleep, academic anxiety, and campus connection, drawing on survey data showing 60 per cent of students feel isolated while 71 per cent feel they belong.
A physician who has cared for college students for years and raised two of her own says many problems that derail the college experience are predictable, preventable and fixable if students know what to expect.
In a new guide, she shares five things every college student should know before setting foot on campus. The advice remains useful even for students already enrolled. Homesickness does not mean a student chose the wrong school. Many students assume they made a mistake when they feel anxious and miss home, especially after hearing college will be the best years of their life.
Understanding Homesickness on Campus
They may sit alone in a dorm room, sad, lonely and struggling in class, sleeping poorly and hating the food. They often worry they are disappointing their family, particularly at a dream school or as a first-generation student. Social media makes it worse. Students see friends appearing to have the time of their lives, but that is the highlight reel effect.
Young adults tend to share social media worthy successes rather than challenges. Homesickness is common, along with broader struggles of connection and adjustment. Roughly 60 per cent of students feel a lack of companionship, left out or isolated at least some of the time, according to the Spring 2026 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment survey, which includes data from more than 44,000 undergraduates at 86 institutions.
Encouragingly, 71 per cent of students felt they belonged at their university, suggesting most are also adjusting to college life. Students who struggle most often live close enough to run home for Sunday dinner, do laundry or attend a sibling event, especially on weekends. Frequent trips home make it harder to build a life on campus.
Students thousands of miles from home do not have that choice, so they attend more university events, find new study spots or hang out in the dorm laundry room, gaining proximity to others in the same boat. Staying on campus only works if you leave your dorm room. Sitting on your bed scrolling through social media or playing games with virtual friends will not cure homesickness.
Building Roots Through College Activities
The advice is to develop roots by trying three completely unrelated clubs, such as a service organization, a board game club, a major academic club or an intramural sport. Students worried about competition can look for fun alternative sports such as cornhole or canoe battleship, like sink or swim at Texas A and M University. Pursuing at least three activities sparks interests and connects students with others who appreciate the same things.
Many early college friendships or clubs are like temporary tattoos: try them out and see whether they fit without a lifelong commitment. Quality sleep is important and underrated. A tired brain makes everything worse. Emotions can rage out of control, and learning, processing and retention of new information are impaired.
Protecting Sleep and Mental Focus
Focus and problem solving decline. Then a student bombs a quiz or test and triggers a cycle of test anxiety. Dorms may be the worst setting for quality sleep. They are loud, bright, hot and smelly, and other people share the bedroom.
Control what you can. Block out light with a sleep mask, use headband style headphones and guided meditations to buffer sound, and place a fan near the bed to cool the sleeping space and add white noise. Most importantly, communicate early with a roommate about sleep schedules, expectations and respect for privacy. The most common mistake college students make is not staying up too late; it is having an inconsistent wake up time.
Early classes two days followed by sleeping until noon on other days disrupts the body circadian rhythm, reducing sleep quality and increasing daytime fatigue. Prioritize getting up at the same time each day, adding a short early afternoon nap if needed. Total sleep quantity matters too. If you study or party until 2 a.m., make sure you can sleep until 10 a.m. Academic anxiety does not mean college is not for you.
Managing College Exam Anxiety
College is not necessarily harder than high school, but it is different. Students who excelled on essay exams in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses may find college exams lean more on multiple choice or best answer format, which requires a different skill set and study strategy. Prioritize meeting every professor within the first two weeks by going to office hours and introducing yourself.
That connects you with the professor, likely increases personal investment in class lectures and significantly improves comfort asking for help later in the semester. Do not be the student who shows up during finals week begging for extra credit. The professor likely has no idea who you are because you never went to office hours and barely showed up for class.
If class performance or test anxiety causes your brain to go blank despite solid preparation, talk with your campus counseling center or student health services. Anxiety is increasingly affecting academic performance, with nearly 30 per cent of students noti
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