The holidays are here, the weather’s getting colder, and campus is emptying as people go home for the break.

For some, the holidays means family time and good cheer. But for others it can mean loneliness, especially for those who can’t make it home to visit family and friends.

I haven’t been home for the holidays in 6 years. Homesickness is something I have experienced often and the struggle is real. In 2007, right after I finished high school, I left for university in Ottawa, 5 hours away from my home outside Toronto.

In 2011, I did an international exchange in the U.K. That year, I had Christmas dinner at a McDonald’s in Lyon, France and spent Christmas day travelling to Paris.

After that, I moved to Taiwan for 5 years.

For me, the best way to overcome feelings of homesickness is to keep busy—with work, travel, hobbies, or friends. Over the holidays though, this might be more difficult than usual as many of your friends might be away and the school year is finished. Still, there are ways to get through it.

Tips for dealing with homesickness

Talk about it

The worst thing that you can do when you’re going through a tough time is to bottle it up and let it fester. Try to find someone in a similar situation as you. While most people don’t go around advertising their homesickness, that doesn’t mean they don’t feel it, too.

Stay in touch with your friends and family by phone or Skype. Maintaining your relationships with people from home is important, but don’t become too dependent on them. Set aside some time during the week to catch up, and for the remainder, focus on keeping yourself happy.

Do what makes you happy

You probably have a minimum of two weeks, maybe more, free from the academic stress of schoolwork. Take advantage of it! This is a great chance for rest and relaxation, two things that are pretty hard to come by during the Go-Go-Go of the academic year. Spend time doing your hobbies. Catch up on the latest Netflix series. Take the time you have to do the things you love.

Start a new tradition

If there is one thing I learned while living far away from home, it is that your friends become your family.

One thing that my friends and I would do when holidays came around was to gather together and have “friends” versions of “family” holiday get-togethers. Called invariably friends-giving or friends-mas, we would have big potluck dinners where everyone would bring a meal or a dessert and we would feast and keep each other company. These became so regular that they turned into a yearly tradition that we would each look forward to during the holidays.

So, ask around and see if you know anyone else who will be in Vancouver over the winter break. Start your own new holiday tradition.

Get connected to Vancouver. Go Exploring!

One aspect of homesickness is feeling uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place. The holidays are a perfect chance to get out on your own or with friends to see what this city has to offer.

Vancouver has plenty of things to do over the holidays. Visit Granville Island, an arts and culture hub in the city. Visit the Christmas market at Canada Place, which is open until Dec 31. Take a walk downtown and go shopping, or treat yourself to a night out in Yaletown. If you have the means, take a day trip to go skiing or snowboarding at Grouse or Cypress Mountain or even Whistler, which is a little further out.

Time flies...

Just remember, you are here for a reason. Time flies when you’re having fun. So go out and have some!