What is the best way to cope with homesickness on your year abroad?

I found watching some trashy British TV helps! And try and go out/ spend some time with friends or plan a trip somewhere :)

Homesickness, first of all is something that is going to inevitably happen at some stage whilst on a year abroad, some days you will be having the best day ever and some days you will want to do nothing more than curl up on your bed, skype friends back home, moan about everything in your host country, and binge-watch TV series on Netflix. And you know what, that's okay! 

It's fine to admit if you do get homesick and in reality that's probably the best thing to do because many of the people around will be feeling exactly the same, and once you open up to others you can all help each other! Get together and take a walk, go to the cinema, cook food together or plan a trip somewhere. People tend to forget that you have to share the good times as well as the bad, because that's what makes the experience real.

From personal experience I can probably say the worst thing you can do is go home too often. Leaving your host country too much due to homesickness is almost like running away from the problem. Having to leave home and get used to life abroad again will seem like you are going back to square one. So rather than run, remind yourself why you are there in the first place and take time to plan your time and fill it with exciting things to look forward too. If possible you could even get family or friends to visit you in your host country, to show them all the new things you are discovering. Yes, it might drag at first whilst you are facing the first few challenging weeks, but I promise that once you settle in properly time flies and you'll reach the end of your year and wonder where it went!

Missing home is a natural thing and anyone who says they don't miss home is probably lying. Accept the feeling and share it with others! We are only human!

Good luck with everything!

Sometimes when you're homesick a quick skype call home can help as long as it's not too often. I stuck the goodbye cards and nice post from friends back home on my wall to remind me I've not been forgotten about. Have an emergency stash of Cadburys for bad days.

To echo what's been already said busy yourself so you don't have time to feel homesick. Go and try that interesting looking cafe you've been walking past, if people aren't asking you out for the evening, make the invitation. Fellow international students are in the same boat and will jump at the chance to be sociable, in my experience.

Don't beat yourself up about feeling homesick either. It's bound to happen just try not to dwell on it. I found I felt homesick around my birthday, the halfway point of my placement and when something significant was happening at home (the Scottish referendum in my case, for example).

Homesickness is going to happen and you need to not beat yourself about it if/when it does. Don't be afraid to book a trip home if you need to, it's not weak and it can definitely help you. It can also be detrimental though so maybe don't go too often. Just follow your gut and what feels right. Best of luck!