Brainstorm your interests, talents, skills, hobbies, passions -things you enjoy- and find the locations, phone numbers, and other important information about the places where those activities take place. It could be a club at your new school, which would be great to help you adjust quickly. When you’re visiting your new school, find out if there are activities or clubs you’re interested in and see if you can still join if the deadline hasn’t already expired. It’ll give you a great opportunity to meet new people and make friends. You could meet people who have similar interests as you.
Print out pictures of you and your friends together and put them in your room. Print some copies for your friends as well. This will help you remember one another and may comfort you when the prospect of moving gets you down. Constantly seeing these photos is a gentle reminder that your friends will always be there for you. There are many forms of communication for staying in touch. Share pictures and videos. Let your friends know about the differences, both good and bad, between your old home and your new place, and update them on the most interesting things that have occurred. Call and text one another frequently, if possible. You might be able to plan visits during summer, spring or winter break for you to visit your friend or for them to visit you.
Make the best your current situation and move on. Don’t live in the past, it will only make the move more jarring and it won’t help you at all. Remember what’s important, and relive memories that make you smile. You can relive your past, but make sure it keeps you in a positive mood.
Think of this as a temporary situation which is going to be over soon. It will just be replaced by something even better. Know that moving can be hard, but it’ll make way to a better situation and perhaps after needing some time to cope, could make you happier than you were at your old home. Consider it a fresh start. With a clean slate, you can change everything and improve as well. If you had issues with other people, you are now rid of these problems and can avoid repeating this conflict. With past mistakes, you can use your mistakes to become a better, new person. You can recreate your reputation and make it better. Think of it as a new opportunity to let go of all the worries and stress you had living at your current home. It could be an opportunity to start all over, making a new, more successful new beginning. It simply takes changing your thoughts from negativity to trying to find the good in every situation.
If your whole family each makes a separate list, come together and discuss it. This will give you the feeling that others understand what you are going through and that you are not alone. Compare what you will miss and what you are excited for. With a little work and creativity, you may be able to find that what you miss might be replaced by something even better in your new home.
Before moving, add in pictures of friends, the neighborhood and home. It can be a type of scrapbook that you can look back on when you’ve moved into their new home. Look at this scrapbook when you feel nostalgic or are missing home, or if you are feeling upset about the move, add an entry to the journal.
While too much sugarcoating can be set up for disappointment, keeping positive is key. Have realistic expectations and don’t change reality. Search for the best in your situation instead and try to remain optimistic.
Having a planned time to hear from your family gives you peace of mind, knowing you will soon talk to your family regardless of your busy schedule or anything else that may be difficult to handle. It will comfort you knowing that your family is still there for you even when you aren’t with them. Take advantage of technology based communication. Emailing, texting, or using social media allows you to check on your family when it is convenient for you, allowing you to feel connected even if you are far apart physically.
If you enjoy crafting or it is your specialty, create a photo collage of your family instead of using framed photos, whether it be digitally (you can set it as your wallpaper) or handmade. Seeing the familiar faces of your family provides a sense of closeness and helps you still feel connected to them, as if they are there with you.
Once you arrive at your new home, decorate your home or room with those keepsakes. When you start missing your family, pull out one of them. While you may feel homesick at first, eventually you will adjust and feel like yourself again. These keepsakes can be anything, no matter how small or insignificant they seem. If they are significant to you, it is enough.
If you are unable to work, school/college will achieve the same purpose. Enroll in some classes at your local college, go back to earn a degree, and you will be so distracted with coursework, homework and friends to have time to sit around and brood.
Before moving, do a little research on your town to find out more about what it has to offer. For example, if are a hiker, find out where your town’s best parks are. If you enjoy reading, find out if there’s a pleasant bookstore in the neighborhood or a cozy library. When you arrive in your new community you will already have ideas of how to spend your free time, rather than just brooding about how much you miss home and your family.
Celebrate every success you have, no matter how small it is. You don’t always have to share this victory with someone. It’s yours and you’re not obligated to tell everyone. Write down the successes in a journal and look back on it when you feel challenged or can’t move forward. Perhaps you were really nervous about meeting your new co-workers and beginning your new job, but they all greeted you with open arms and your work day was great. Remind yourself that you are capable of rising above your challenges.
