Do Students Get Homesick?

By:  Seth Marksberry

Many people have asked us the same question repeatedly about Academy life: do you ever get homesick? Of course it varies from person to person. There are some that go home nearly every weekend because they miss their loved ones. Then there are those like myself who like to be on campus with friends as much as possible to fully take in the experience. Regardless of how often you see family, your childhood bedroom, or even a beloved pet, everybody responds to the change in environment differently.

It isn’t as big of an issue as many would think, though. Sure, heading off to college is a big shift, but Gatton provides many ways to beat homesickness. Students around the Academy have often said that with how busy college life is, there really isn’t much time to miss family. From weekend activities, such as several recent trips to Mammoth Cave National Park, to enlightening seminars with the staff, activities outside of classwork abound.

The best mechanism to combat homesickness at the Academy, by far, is the community of students that forms while students are here. When struggling against the seemingly titanic forces of classes, attempting to live up to expectations, and finding that single working dryer, your fellow students become more than friends. They’re your allies. Matthew Broadbent, a student in the class of 2017, summed it up best. “We are all one big family. So I don’t experience homesickness, because it feels like I’m right at home.”