By Michael Allen

Throughout college and especially during your freshman year, you are guaranteed to feel a little homesick. Whether it be missing family or high school friends, everybody gets overwhelmed and just wants to visit home. The one thing to remember when this happens is that you are not alone. This happens to everybody.

The first words of advice I can give about feeling homesick are to reach out to your family and old friends. Sometimes a Skype session or a quick call is all it takes to start feeling better again. When I felt down during my freshman year after receiving a bad grade, my parents always cheered me up and reminded me that it was “just a test.” (Now that I’m a graduating senior, they aren’t as nice when I say I think I might fail an exam!)

I have also had the luxury of home being less than two hours away. This has been nice because it makes it easy for me to go home for a weekend if I really need a break. Sometimes, depending on my class schedule, I could go home for a night during the week too. I know that most people don’t have this luxury, but there is always something to do at Baylor. There is no reason to sit in a dorm or apartment and be sad when you can go to the Student Life Center (SLC), play a game of basketball or climb the rock wall.

Along with the activities, everyone is friendly at Baylor. Unless it is before an 8 a.m. class, you will almost always get a smile whenever you walk around campus. This is comforting, and it reminds me that I am part of a community that cares for every individual member.

If your parents are looking for good weekends to come down and visit, I would recommend Homecoming and a weekend during Sing. There is always plenty to do during Baylor’s Homecoming, so you don’t have to make any plans for your parents. Sing is also a fun excuse for parents to come down in the spring semester and experience a great Baylor tradition. It is also a few weeks before Spring Break, so there are other benefits too (Just kidding Mom and Dad).

The most important thing to remember is that there is always someone to talk to here. Whether it be a roommate, a residence hall leader or a professor, people that attend and work at Baylor are always willing to lend a helping hand when you are feeling down!