Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Speaking from Experience - Research

Feeling homesick

Homesickness

What is homesickness?

Most people will have felt homesick at some time in their lives, perhaps when they were younger, and it is easy to forget just how overwhelming it can be.
Beginning life at university naturally generates both excitement and anxiety about the move, academic work, meeting new people. For some, this apprehension is quickly overcome as they adapt to a new environment; for others the transition takes longer and sometimes emerges as homesickness where there is a preoccupation with home-focused thoughts. There is a yearning for and grieving over the loss of what is familiar and secure: most often it is about the loss of people - family and friends - but it is also about the loss of places and routines, and the realisation that family life continues without you.
Those who experience homesickness might notice an increase in depressed feelings, anxiety, obsessive thoughts and minor physical ailments.Homesickness can often be distinguished from depression in this way - in depression sufferers find both university and home awful, whereas inhomesickness university can feel awful while home may be seen in rose-tinted hues.
Some students will start by being mildly depressed and anxious several weeks before leaving home, in anticipation of the impending change. Others will be fine initially, and then to their surprise find themselves feeling homesick later in the academic year, perhaps after the Christmas break, or even at the start of their second academic year. But commonly it is the first few days or weeks after arriving at university which are the most difficult.
Students are not immune just because they have successfully experienced leaving home before. Vulnerability to feeling homesick is affected by:
  • the distance from home
  • a sense of anticlimax at finally arriving at university after working towards it for so long
  • whether the student was responsible for the decision to come to university
  • unhappiness due to expectations of university not being met
  • "job strain" - i.e. work overload and low control over it
  • whether family members at home are well and happy
  • contrast in lifestyle.
Those who are homesick often feel they have no control over their environment, and that they are not identified with it or committed to the university or their place in it.

Transition to University

There are two tasks involved in starting at university:
  1. leaving familiar things, people and places,
  2. adapting to new things, people and places.
Individuals have different levels of tolerance to change and have learned different ways of coping with new situations. But what can make transition so hard? In a familiar place people generally feel accepted and secure, and are therefore able to function and meet challenges successfully. Away from the familiar, they are without their usual sources of support, and in unfamiliar surroundings their tried and tested methods of coping and working are challenged; "failure" looms large and self esteem and confidence drops. Tasks which would normally have been taken in one's stride, can suddenly seem quite a challenge, or even feel impossible.

What might help?

  1. Talk to someone. If you haven't yet made friends here, then try a tutor, supervisor, chaplain, nurse or counsellor.
  2. Keep in good contact with the people you have left behind; arrange a time to go back to see them, perhaps after a few weeks. But also give yourself time within the university to begin to get involved here. Don't let looking back actually hinder moving forward.
  3. Encourage friends and family to come and see you in your new setting.
  4. Remember that many other people will be sharing similar feelings, although you may assume that they are doing fine! (You can't read their minds - just as they can't read yours!)
  5. You are allowed to feel sad and homesick! You are also allowed to enjoy yourself - it isn't being disloyal to those you miss!
  6. Be realistic about what to expect from student life and from yourself. Establish a balance between work and leisure: you are NOT expected to work ALL the time - you would soon burn out. On the other hand, if you don't put in enough time on work, you can very quickly get behind, which only adds to the stresses!
  7. If work is proving too difficult, can you improve your study skills or your organisation of time and work so that you gain satisfaction from what you do? There may be people in your College or Department or the Student Union who can help in this area, such as your Tutor, Supervisor or the Welfare Officer
  8. Remember to get enough food and sleep! These affect us emotionally as well as physically.
  9. Make contacts and friends through shared activities such as sport or other interests. There are so many clubs and societies within the university and city, that you are very likely to find something that suits your particular interests. At the start of the academic year many new people will be joining - you are unlikely to be the only new person.
  10. Give yourself time to adjust: you don't have to get everything right straight away. Nor do you have to rush into making major decisions about staying or leaving.
  11. Check out that you do really want to be at this university, in this college, studying this subject, at this time. Most people come through times ofhomesickness and go on to do well and enjoy their time at university. But for some it can be right to leave and take another direction. Those who do leave mostly find another course or university with which they are happy, perhaps after taking a year out. But if you are thinking along these lines, you need to take expert advice about the academic, career and financial implications. Speak to your tutor, the University Career Service and your LEA.
  12. If you stop being able to do normal social and academic things, seek professional help either from your doctor or the counselling service. Don't wait until the problems have grown impossibly large!
We hope that some of these suggestions will prove useful. There are many things you can do to help yourself, but don't hesitate in seeking out the help of others. Homesickness is not unusual - and it can be conquered!

http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/leaflets/homesickness
What's the best way to deal with homesickness? Here are some ideas.
  • Allow yourself to feel homesick. Some students may not want to admit how much they miss home. They may perceive their feelings as immature and get angry at themselves. If you feel homesick, give yourself a break and understand that your feelings are normal and not immature. No matter how old people get, major life changes are traumatic, and you are going through a major life change.
  • Keep busy. Throw yourself into college life and you'll find yourself missing home less. Finding things to keep you busy won't be hard to do! Take part in freshman orientation week activities. Get off to a good start in your classes. Find out what kinds of student activities are available and attend some meetings.
  • Make friends. College campuses can be very lonely places if you don't know anyone. It may take awhile for you to meet people you truly bond with, but in the meantime, make an effort to get to know as many people as you can. Take the time to explore campus activities until you find one that clicks.
  • Get off to a good start with your roommate. You don't have to be best friends, but you'll feel a whole lot more at home in your room if you two get along. Here are some helpful college roommate etiquette tips and a college roommate survival guide.
  • Communicate (in moderation) with your family. Your family hasn't left your life. Call and email them and talk about how you are feeling. Remember, being a parent of a college freshman can be an emotionally difficult experience as well. At the same time, though, don't use your family as a crutch. Keep in touch, but you need to move in with your new life as well. A visit home can help with homesickness, but don't go home too often or you will have trouble integrating into your new life.
  • Talk to your residence assistance. Every dorm floor has a student in charge who can help students get adjusted to college. If you feel overwhelmed, stop by for a chat.
  • If needed, talk to a counselor. If homesickness is making it difficult for you to function in college, or if you are suffering from depression, take advantage of the mental health facilities on your campus. Homesickness is a very common problem, and college counselors know how to help.
  • Decorate. If your room is cozy and comfortable, it will feel more like home. Here are some dorm room decorating ideas and a college dorm room decorating guide.
  • Avoid rash decisions. When people are depressed or overwhelmed, they sometimes make big decisions that are unwise. This is not the time to drop out, transfer to a different school, end a long term relationship, or anything else of major consequence. Wait until you are feeling better before you make life changing decisions.
  • Give yourself time. It may take a semester or even more before you stop feeling homesick. It takes time to adjust to major life changes like this one. Hang in there!
http://naomi-rockler-gladen.suite101.com/college-students-and-homesickness-a21348

Getting Ill

Cold Symptoms

Commonly reported cold symptoms include:
  • sore throat
  • persistant cough
  • sneezing
  • congestion
  • runny nose
  • headache
  • fatigue
  • a mild fever (<103F). A fever higher than 103F is more likely influenza and is usually accompanied with chills and muscle aches.
You should see your doctor for a diagnosis if your symptoms are severe or if the they last longer than 5 days with no sign of improvement. In some instances even a mild cold can grow into a more serious condition like pneumonia (Learn how to get rid of pneumonia). Better safe than sorry!
Find Dentists in your area

Getting rid of a Cold: Treatments

As was mentioned above, there is no panacea for colds due to the huge numbers and diversity in the viruses which cause it. Antibiotics are useless because they target bacteria, not viruses. If you're otherwise in good health it's easier to just take it easy and battle the symptoms while you give your body enough time to eliminate the virus. Following are many common treatments for colds and their symptoms (More tips how to stop a common cold), if you have a remedy to add here please do so using the form at the bottom of this page.
*Always consult your physician before using or mixing any of the below remedies.

Over-The-Counter Cold Remedies

Petroleum Jelly

Applying petroleum jelly underneath the nose or on the chest so it's vapors are inhaled can help soothe the irritation of a dry and raw nose and throat.

Analgesics

Analgesics are found in most over the counter cold and flu medications and many pain relievers such as NyQuil and Tylenol. These help relieve headaches and fever.

Cough Medicines

Cough medicines do pretty much what the name implies – they help relieve coughing (See how to get rid of coughs). Most do this using an antitussive and expectorant. Antitussives suppress the body's cough reflex and expectorants thin out your mucus, allowing it to be more easily expelled through coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

Natural Cold Cures and Home Remedies

Common Sense Treatments

  • Drink lots of fluids (very important).
  • Get plenty of rest (preferably in bed).
  • Eat a nutritious diet.

Salt Water

Gargling with salt water or using it to flush the nose can help reduce swelling and irritation.

Spicy Food

If your throat isn't irritated and you can handle it, eating something spicy can temporarily clear up a stuffy head.

Chicken Soup

A Steam InhalationThough there hasn't yet been any research that supports this, chicken soup remains a popular folk remedy for helping cure colds.

Steam Inhalation

This is effective for colds caused by members of the rhinovirus family due to their inability to survive at elevated temperatures. It can be achieved by sitting in a hot sauna or breathing the steam produced by hot water. Be careful not to burn yourself, and if you choose to sit in a sauna, make sure you stay hydrated.

Herbal Cures, Vitamins, and Mineral Supplementation

Among the many supplements that have been touted to help cure colds, the most popular are:
http://www.howtogetridofstuff.com/health/how-to-get-rid-of-a-cold/

Hifi

SUNDAY JOINT

Every Sunday

Free Entry

Jager Shots -£2
Bulmers - £2.50
Red Stripe - £2.90

The legendary Sunday Joint has now been playing host to some of the greatest Soul, Latin, Hip Hop, Funk & Salsa for the past 15 years – If you haven’t been yet, now is the chance to see what you’ve been missing!!

10pm - 4am

Please note that the first band will be onstage at approximately 11pm!  

SUNDAY 22nd APRIL: RENEGADE BRASS BAND


Combining 8 horns with 2 percussionists, scratch DJ and live MC, the Renegade Brass Band are a tight ensemble playing with a raw brass sound, mixing the best of funk, hip-hop and jazz into the ultimate party band. These guys have appeared alongside Homecut, The Correspondents, East Park Reggae Collective and Ms. Dynamite to name but a few! 2011 saw the band hitting the festival circuit loud and hard and their EP Radio Rebelderecieving rave reviews and regular airplay on BBC Raw Talent. Judging from past performances we expect these guys to be BIG BIG BIG!

SUNDAY 29th APRIL: CANTALOOP


Cantaloop's mission is to provide 800% funk with a satisfaction guarantee! Fronted by the funk messenger Dannie Dee with his trussed funk doctors 100c on guitar and Paulo De'Wooton on bass, the Cantaloop Brotherhood are a true 'Urban Funk Outfit' and a popular choice here at Sunday Joint. If you’ve missed them before then don’t lose out this time!! 

SUNDAY 6th MAY: BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY JOINT

No band this week but live music returns with Papa Le Gal on the 13th. Please note that there will be a small entrance fee on bank holiday's so come prepared!

SUNDAY 13th MAY: PAPA LE GAL


Papa Le Gál are a 5-piece band from Bristol, whose style is as eclectic and diverse as their individual musical backgrounds. Since their formation in early 2009 the group has gone from strength to strength, releasing an acclaimed EP, recording a live session for BBC 6 Music and touring the UK. Swinging between afrobeat, latin and funk (plus anything else that happens to take their fancy) the Papa crew never fail to get a crowd moving, representing the sounds of summer even in the coldest of times!

SUNDAY 20th MAY: SAMSARA


As one of the South’s most exciting reggae acts, Brighton-based collective Samsara create an open minded and fresh take on the roots tradition. Their music pays tribute to the original innovators of the sound while refusing to be bound by any stylistic conventions. This along with their reputation for getting heads buzzing and feet stomping has earned them shows alongside the likes of Zion Train, the Dub Pistols, Bedouin Soundclash and reggae legends The Wailers!

SUNDAY 27th MAY: FUR


Titans of live hip-hop ‘FUR’ are providers of a distinctive sound concocted in the cosmopolitan side-streets of London. Started by Earl Greg and Murmur of the FUR in late 2008, the band cite influences from J. Dilla to Orchestra Baobab and beyond, a diverse genealogy that you can hear reverberating through their music. With a recently released EP under their belt plus a string of performances billed for the summer months, we predict these guys to be selling out shows in no time!

10:00 PM
04:00 AM

http://www.thehificlub.co.uk/clubnights/sunday-joint

The legendary Sunday Joint has now been playing host to some of the greatest Soul, Latin, Hip Hop, Funk and Salsa acts for the past 15 years – If you haven’t been yet, now is the chance to see what you’ve been missing! With a live bands onstage at approximately 11pm each Sunday evening, the Sunday Joint club night is also accompanied by our resident DJs playing a blend of nu-soul, breakbeat treats and funk laden beats! It gets busy so please get down early to avoid disappointment!

http://www.leedsliveitloveit.com/visitors/whats-on~page/hifi-club-apr12

http://www.facebook.com/HiFiClubLeeds



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