20 October 2025
October feels different when you’re away from home. Back in India, it’s a month of noise, colour, and warmth—Diwali lights filling every corner, the smell of sweets in the kitchen, and laughter echoing through the house. Here in Australia, the world feels quieter. I miss helping my mum decorate, shopping with my dad, and simply being part of all the little things that make home, home.
There are moments when I feel helpless watching it all through a screen. Yet there’s also gratitude. Gratitude for the people around me who’ve become like family, for friends who understand, and for the chance to recreate pieces of my world here—lighting diyas, cooking Indian food, inviting others to celebrate. It’s not the same, but it’s still mine.
As a counselling student, I’ve learned to see homesickness differently. It’s not just missing a place—it’s missing a part of yourself that existed there. When I reflect, I realise how deeply my identity is tied to the rituals, rhythms, and love I grew up with. That’s what makes being a counsellor beautiful—we are trained to pause, notice, and ask, “What’s happening inside me while so much is happening outside?”
When the longing gets too heavy, I turn to the same techniques I encourage others to use. I journal honestly. I reach out for connection instead of retreating into loneliness. I remind myself that sadness doesn’t need to be fixed—it just needs space to exist. Reflection helps me hold my emotions with compassion rather than criticism.
Homesickness has also taught me something invaluable about empathy. It reminds me that behind every client’s story of change, there’s often a quieter story of loss—loss of familiarity, of belonging, of the person they once were. Holding that truth has made me gentler, both with others and with myself.
To every student feeling a little lost this festive season, remember: missing home doesn’t make you weak—it makes you human. But don’t just sit there. Recreate the warmth. Cook that dish. Call your people. Light your own space up, however small it is. Because home is not where you are—it’s what you carry within you.
#StudentBlog