When I stepped off the flight from Los Angeles to St. Louis and onto the jet bridge, my eyes watered as I saw my sigh literally form into a sad little cloud. I was back in the freezing weather where I had to wear Uggs not because they look cute, but because I don’t want my feet to get frostbitten and subsequently amputated. Outside the airport, everything was white and I was blue.

After winter break ended, many people I knew were excited to reunite with friends and start afresh in the new semester, but I was constantly focused on home. I missed my parents, my passive aggressive shih tzu Mocha and my friends. For the next three weeks, I felt extremely homesick. I would stay in my room and brood intensely, then cry. I would spend my free time thinking about places I could be in Los Angeles and writing all my sad feelings down in my diary. But most scary of all, I contemplated transferring. I got so far as to creating a Common App account (ugh!). I thought that leaving my sunny home for this polar vortex-prone place was a terrible choice. Jon Snow was totally right about this whole “winter is coming” thing.

Then things changed. I took my advisor and my parents’ advice and got more involved in extracurriculars. My first semester was absolutely consumed by academics, so I felt like I had no room for outside activities. This semester, I joined Student Life. Writing is something I love and will always enjoy doing, so I found myself making time to write articles.

The day I decided not to transfer was when my first article was published. I felt so proud of such a little accomplishment, but for the first time in a while, I was happy doing something unrelated to schoolwork. I spoke to a friend of mine during the three weeks of homesickness and she told me that the remedy for homesickness is enjoying where you are now. Of course it may be difficult to find love for an unfamiliar place far from home, but I found a love for the life I have here by doing something I like.

So, if you are homesick, I would tell you to find something you genuinely like spending time on. When you find an enjoyable hobby, you can more easily dedicate time to it and be in the moment, not in your head at home. Activity fairs are great ways to browse all available clubs, but you can also see a profile of all 479 campus organizations on the WUGO website. There are still several clubs you can be a part of in the middle of the semester through general body or community outreach events. Even if you are only the tiniest bit intrigued by a club, put yourself out there and give it a try, because finding something you love will diminish the omnipresence of homesickness little by little.

Getting involved around campus also means making new friends along the way. I joined the Taiwanese Student Organization (TSO) and I’ve become friends with so many awesome people (who made me embarrassingly dance blindfolded). It has made me feel more at home (clarification: not the blindfolded dancing) and proven to me that connecting with people will help you and your homesickness.

Besides joining campus organizations, call your parents. Parents are always there to support you and you should communicate with them because they will give you honest advice in your best interest. In addition, going off campus to explore St. Louis can take your mind off of the compounding stress of academics and homesickness. Even if it’s just a trip to Target for unnecessary impulse buys or a trip to the Galleria for a movie, you get to learn more about your surroundings and if you bring a buddy, it’s a great way to bond.

However, if you continue to struggle with finding an activity to help your homesickness, I would recommend meeting with your advisor. Advisors are helpful sources of support provided by Wash. U. for these exact situations. During the three weeks, I met with my advisor several times and he guided me through the difficult emotions and encouraged me to branch out of my own little bubble. If all else fails and you still feel lonely and lost, there are several mental health resources like Uncle Joe’s on campus. Also, feel free to reach out and email me and I would be more than happy to talk!

Since my bout of homesickness, I have been able to think more clearly about my past desire to transfer. It suddenly dawned upon me that if I did transfer, this would have been my last semester at Wash. U. I remember that moment of realization exactly. I was just opening a door in my residential building, but I froze halfway (and not from the weather this time), thinking that I don’t want this to be my last semester here. Sure, I still feel homesick sometimes and I still have a countdown widget till my next flight home, but I love Wash. U. Not only do I find my challenging classes rewarding, but Wash. U. is a wonderful, supportive community that I enjoy being a part of. I’ve worked hard to get here, and I don’t want to give up Wash. U. due to homesickness. I wouldn’t and shouldn’t leave this place just to be 1,800 miles closer to home. With that in mind, don’t make any rash decisions when you are in the midst of homesickness. Find ways to make Wash. U. not just a university, but also your home.