Anonymous wrote:Homesick at 18? Can't sympathize at all.

Seriously? I moved away for college, lived abroad for 7 years, am now 45 and married with two kids and sometimes I get homesick! I can't imagine being so completely removed from your family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not let my college freshman come home if they were homesick. Tough it out - go make friends.

A generation of snowflakes. I remember crying myself to sleep for the first three or four weeks I missed my family SO much (my dogs more, lol). My mother spent countless hours on the phone talking me down and virtually holding my hand and encouraging me. I thank God everyday for my family and our closeness, but I especially am thankful for the bond I have with my mother, she has always been there no matter how truly small my problem is ...

Jeez, can we stop with the snowflake thing. Seems like you were just as emotional as any 18 year old moving away from home for the first time.

The amount of money we are paying for college and the dorms look worse than the shelter

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How representative do you think this is? If you watch one tiktok from a homesick freshman, the algorithm is going to show you more homesick freshman not the people who are having a great time.

Tiktok isn't showing you the happy freshmen because they haven't posted because they are too busy going to all the welcome events and meeting people in their dorms.

This. I've barely heard from my freshman and he's not posting on social media but the couple times he checked in (because he needed something) he's seemed happy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how sad. they should take a gap year.

Most of them did, they deferred. Screwed it up for this year's incoming class, not that I'm judging, just stating a fact.

No, “most” of the class of 2020 didn’t defer.

This sounds normal...social media amplifies everything!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:how sad. they should take a gap year.

Most of them did, they deferred. Screwed it up for this year's incoming class, not that I'm judging, just stating a fact.

Are you the poster always carrying on about gap years? They serve an important purpose so back off. They are very beneficial for kids that need it and the colleges encourage them. Maybe your student is mature and ready to launch but some need a little more time to mature, or deal with a family crisis, or solidify certain skills, solve a money problem, etc. Used wisely, they can help some kids improve their success in college instead of struggling.

Normal. But not as many as you think — you have clearly tripped some sort of algorithm.

Anonymous wrote:Homesick at 18? Can't sympathize at all.

Wow, I’m glad you’re not my mom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not let my college freshman come home if they were homesick. Tough it out - go make friends.

A generation of snowflakes. I remember crying myself to sleep for the first three or four weeks I missed my family SO much (my dogs more, lol). My mother spent countless hours on the phone talking me down and virtually holding my hand and encouraging me. I thank God everyday for my family and our closeness, but I especially am thankful for the bond I have with my mother, she has always been there no matter how truly small my problem is ...

Sounds like you were the snowflake PP.

Anonymous wrote:How representative do you think this is? If you watch one tiktok from a homesick freshman, the algorithm is going to show you more homesick freshman not the people who are having a great time.

Tiktok isn't showing you the happy freshmen because they haven't posted because they are too busy going to all the welcome events and meeting people in their dorms.

Anonymous wrote:Homesick at 18? Can't sympathize at all.

Me either. I couldn’t wait for the freedom.

How representative do you think this is? If you watch one tiktok from a homesick freshman, the algorithm is going to show you more homesick freshman not the people who are having a great time.

Anonymous wrote:I watch TikTok before bed and when procrastinating and so much content right now involves college and college freshman. Many of them are so sad and homesick after being dropped off. Some have even left after a few days. I know to some extent homesickness is normal but I do wonder how much the pandemic mental health issues are affecting them.

That has always been the case. Tough it out or be a commuter.

Social media is not real life. It’s makes everything seem like a catastrophe.