Out of SCight, Out Of Mind
By Grace Carballo ‘17
Before you go abroad this spring, you’re probably feeling nervous and excited, and maybe a little worried about leaving USC and your friends there behind. All of these are completely normal emotions, and as you learned in your Overseas Studies Orientation, there will inevitably times where you feel homesick not only for your family, but for your Trojans and the familiarity and comfort USC has offered you all these semesters.
Even though some contact home is important and definitely possible in this day and age, to have the fullest experience possible, it is best to limit it. After all, how can you be fully present in moment if you’re constantly checking and worrying about the organizations, parties, and people you’ve temporarily left behind.
There will definitely be times when you need to talk to your family or friends, and by all means, do so. But I found that seeing photos of Game Day or friends’ birthday parties or weekend beach trips not only took up time from my actual life experiences, but also sometimes made me feel overwhelmingly homesick.
It is very possible and sometimes easy to be so consumed in what everyone else is doing and posting, you forget to put yourself out there and step out of your comfort zone in this new country where your physically are and mentally should be.
So a few tips for finding that balance-
1) Let your family and friends know that you probably won’t have WiFi access all the time and will not respond as quickly as you might in the U.S. They will absolutely understand and you may end up liking being a little more off the grid.
2) Keep a blog or start an e-mail list so that you can share your experiences with your interested loved ones and not have to tell and retell the same story through different mediums for different audiences.
3) Set specific times for Skype calls so you are not playing phone tag. (Remember time differences!)
4) Make a conscious effort to avoid merely passively “creeping” on your friends’ social media accounts. Trust me, it will make you feel like you are missing out because everyone’s life looks thrilling on social media. Also, if you don’t trust me, studies have proven this is true - see Link below #5 for more information.
5) If you choose to continue using social media (I did) when you have the opportunity, posting photos or stories and “engaging” is very important and not egotistical (as long as you don’t go overboard). It’s great for increasing “social capital.” - see Link below
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/how-facebook-makes-us-unhappy
6) Remember big events and send your congratulations, well-wishes, or condolences. Even though you may be having the time of your life and not think twice about USC or home, it’s important to remember that everyone else’s lives are still progressing, too. You don’t have to stay in touch daily (and you shouldn’t) but you should say “Happy Birthday” to your best friend and offer support to your roommate who has a dying relative, no matter where you are in the world.
7) Postcards and hand-written letters are alarmingly underrated. There’s no greater feeling than receiving letters while abroad so be sure your loved ones have your address and be sure you have theirs to reciprocate with some postcards from your new favorite landmarks.
Safe travels and best of luck this semester!! Don’t forget to pack photocopies of your passport!
Fight On,
Grace ‘17
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