Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays

I feel so lucky that I was able to spend roughly 6 weeks in my home state of Ohio for winter break.  It was a much needed get-away after my very first semester of graduate school! And it's true what they say...distance really does make the heart grow fonder.

So what made me want to get a master's degree so far away from home, anyway?  To be honest, the idea of traveling around Europe for a year was the real selling point.  Living in Ohio my entire life, I began to find it a little boring and I was ready for a change.  Why not move half-way across the world? I was in love with the thought of seeing new countries every weekend, trying new foods, and experiencing new cultures.  But as you can imagine, grad school has kept me very busy. A little too busy to travel as much as I would like to.  I did take a lovely trip to Switzerland, however, and loved every second of it!



Despite not traveling as much as I hoped I would, I am learning far more than I ever could have dreamed.  Sport and Exercise Nutrition combines my love for two of my favorite things: nutrition and physical activity--both necessary for an overall healthy lifestyle.  I 'm learning what I know I will be able to use in my future career, and that in itself is worth more than traveling the world, in my opinion!

Not only am I gaining valuable knowledge, I am also gaining valuable friendships. I've met so many incredible people from around the world that I would not have been able to meet if I hadn't chosen to come study at OBU.  These are people that I can go to the gym with, grab a bite with, or share a pint with at a pub in town.  They are people that I can complain about coursework with and bond with over how stressed we are.  Being the only American in my program and the only Ohioan (that I know of!) in Oxford, these new friends make me feel less alone and more happy to be at Oxford Brookes, and I will forever be grateful for that.



So now that I'm preparing to fly back to Oxford after spending such an incredible time at home with my loved ones, I know I am bound to catch a case of homesickness sooner or later.  If you're anything like me--a huge softy--and miss your friends and family like crazy, I have a few tips to ease your homesick heart.

1. FaceTime!  I use FaceTime religiously with my family and boyfriend back home, and it helps tremendously.  There's just something about seeing the face of your loved ones in real time as you talk to them that makes it all a little easier.

2. Stay busy.  I've found that if I stay busy (and if you're in a graduate program, it's not hard to stay busy at all, am I right?!) I don't have time to think about how sad I am over missing my far away friends and family.

3. Keep a journal.  Sounds silly, but it feels good to get all of those feelings out!

4. Go out!  It's never really a good idea to stay home and sulk--it keeps you from experiencing the many things that life has to offer.  I always tell myself that if I stay in because I'm feeling down, I'll regret not seizing the opportunities I could've taken when my time in Oxford is over.

Those are my tips--I help they help some of you!!  I'm looking forward to writing more posts for OBU as the school year continues :)