Kiumars (MSB ‘28) is a finance and accounting major from Dubai. He’s a residential assistant, consultant for Georgetown Ventures and works at the Tech Center.
The first night I spent at Georgetown, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, realizing it was the first time in my life I couldn’t hear my family in the next room. I had imagined college would be all excitement and newness, but what surprised me most was how quiet it felt. Two years later, that feeling hasn’t disappeared, but I’ve learned that homesickness isn’t a weakness. It’s proof that I had something good before college, and that I’m learning to build something just as meaningful here.
Bringing Home to Georgetown
For me, homesickness shows up in the quiet moments. After a long week, I sometimes wish I could collapse on my couch back in Dubai, talk to my dad while the AC hums in the background, and just let time pass slower. But even on the best of days, like getting a great grade on a test I was worried about, I instantly think of my mom. She’s the kind of person who celebrates the smallest wins like they’re big milestones. I miss that type of support in person.
And then there’s my dog Coco. I see her on FaceTime, and she just stares at the screen like she has no idea who I am. It’s funny and sad at the same time. I joke that one day when I fly back home, she’ll bark at me at the front door as if I’m a stranger. Despite Coco not recognizing me over the phone, I feel like calling family routinely is the best way to prevent homesickness because it can feel like they are with you when you share a meal or special moment with your parents over a video call.
Another way I reduce homesickness is by having belongings in my dorm that remind me of home. For example, the blanket I use is embroidered with my high school’s logo. Every time I see it, I think about my friends back home. Sophomore year makes it hit even harder because you’re more settled into college, and the world you came from starts to feel like it’s drifting into the background. The routines, people and places that shaped you feel less present, which makes small reminders of home mean even more.
Homesickness isn’t only about parents. It’s missing the friends you grew up with, the comfort of walking into school and knowing everyone, the dumb hallway jokes and the feeling that you understood every corner of your life.
Additionally, my routine helps me stay grounded here. I try to wake up early, go to the gym, then walk to Leo’s for eggs and hash browns with Afro house music in my headphones. That simple morning routine gives me the energy to tackle the day. It gives me a little bit of control in a world where everything is changing so fast.
And I’ve come to see how food pulls me right back home as well. I often find myself missing those homemade Persian dishes. Saffron rice stands out, along with the chicken stews and koobideh. Everyone always thinks that their grandma is the best chef, and there’s some truth to that. We’ve trained our palettes to our home food, but because of how multicultural DC is, there’s always a restaurant that takes you back. For me, it’s Rumi’s Kitchen in Mount Vernon Square. I try to go as often as I can with Persian friends and like to think that it keeps that part of me alive.
Making Georgetown Home
My favorite way to deal with homesickness (after ringing home) is to enjoy everything Georgetown has to offer. The Hilltop has its own traditions that feel completely different from anything back home, and I’ve grown to appreciate that. Homecoming and Georgetown Day here have this loud pride and school spirit that isn’t really part of life where I grew up. It’s fun being part of it and feeling the energy across campus. And then there’s Rangila, where hundreds of Georgetown students choreograph and practice for the largest charity dance showcase in the U.S. (and you don’t have to have any dance experience to join). These traditions don’t look anything like the ones I grew up with, but that difference is something I enjoy. They’ve become part of my life here, and they’re little reminders that I’m building my own version of home in a new place.
But not every day is Georgetown Day. Sometimes I just need some time to myself. I call these days ‘reset days’ and I walk to the Georgetown Waterfront without a plan and just sit by the water, let my brain slow down and breathe. It reminds me that life isn’t meant to be rushed. I don’t force homesickness away but let it come and go.
Now in my second year, I can definitely say sophomore year feels different from freshman year. You know more people. Campus feels familiar. And still, some nights you just wish you could time-travel for 10 minutes and sit at your dining table at home, or lie on the floor and have your dog crash into you like you disappeared for months, even if it’s only been an afternoon.
What I’ve found is that homesickness is a universal feeling that we should not try to escape but appreciate. I’m only realizing now that I didn’t replace my home but made a new one at Georgetown. I still find myself missing the daily habits from before and the people who formed who I am now.
At the same time, I’m creating a fresh start right here. That kind of blend feels completely normal. It shows me that I am expanding in ways that matter. I am not just leaving the old stuff behind. When I head back home now, everything tastes even better in a way. Flying across the world for college was the best thing I could have done. It’s me deciding that my past and my present can sit next to each other instead of replacing one with the other.
