homesickness

Who gets homesick?

We all get a little homesick (even the Staff)! We miss those we love, and that's okay! 

The important thing to realize when you get homesick is why you're feeling sad. Let people know you're feeling a little down - we've all been there, so we can perk you up!

What does homesickness feel like?

A lot of us don't realize we're homesick at first. We feel a little sad, and we don't want to do anything. We feel like we don't have very much energy.

When we think about the people we miss, we can get a stomachache. If we do not think about anything but how much we want to be with the people we miss, we'll feel even worse, because we can't have what we think we need.

i'm a camper, and i'm worried about being homesick

That's perfectly normal.

Think about it: you are putting yourself in a completely different situation than you're used to. You are around different people, eating different food, and sleeping in a different bed. This can make you a little scared and a little sad. You want to be home with people you love in a place where you are comfortable and secure. You just need a little time to adjust and feel comfortable at camp.

Once you realize you're feeling this way, let your counselors know! They'll help you stay focused on enjoying your time.

The truth is that it's okay to miss people and places, but you are in charge of what you do. You can choose to participate in activities or you can choose not to participate, it's up to you. But if you let homesickness get the better of you, you will feel miserable. You won't enjoy camp at all.

We think you are a wonderful and strong person for coming to camp. We want you to have a great time! Trust us and put your energy into enjoying every moment you can of camp.

i'm a parent, and i'm worried about my camper being homesick

Counselors are very sensitive to this issue!

If this is the first time your camper has slept away from home (or she has had problems before), please let us know on the Camper/Parent Questionnaire. We won't single your camper out, but we can keep a better lookout to help her if she starts feeling homesick.

Why can't my camper call me? We never allow campers to call home. This makes homesickness worse. Please don't promise your camper that she can call; when she finds out she can't, it will make things worse.

Trust us to help your camper through this: she will come home stronger and happier because of it!

mitigating homesickness

To help, counselors
  • get specific training on dealing with homesickness.
  • never hand out mail after 4 p.m., because homesickness normally hits around bedtime.
  • offer good-night hugs to everyone, every night.

advice from campers to campers

I bring a stuffed animal that I sleep with even though I'm an adult! It always makes me feel better and it's nice having something to hug. I also like writing home because it makes it feel like that person is there to share all of my experiences with. --Hillary















    have you been homesick?

    What worked for you?  Share your advice with other campers!

for more information:

Check out several terrific articles on homesickness HERE!

PARENTS have the biggest impact on homesickness.

please DO:

  • Send a letter or postcard to let her know you're thinking of her.
  • Tell her that you are proud of her for having an adventure on her own.
  • Build her excitement about the fun things she'll do and friends she'll make.
  • Remind her that the counselors are there to help her.
  • Tell her that you believe in her ability to cope at camp.
  • Fill your letters with things you're doing  and tell her how excited you are to hear everything she's doing. Focusing on actions instead of feelings empowers campers.

please DO NOT:

  • Promise to let her call home if she feels homesick. She will not be able to.
  • Promise to come get her if she feels homesick. She will not be able to call you.
  • Tell her how much you miss her in letters (or before she leaves). This can make your camper feel guilty about leaving you. You can end with a short "Miss you!" but writing "I'm writing this as you're packing and realizing how much I'm going to miss you when you're gone" triggers homesickness.
  • Share difficult news from home via letter (death of a pet, sickness of a relative, etc.) You are welcome to call the camp line (925-699-3359) at any time to speak to a director if there is news or information that must be passed along to a camper.