Missing home but starting to finding one here in Birmingham

From the second I got to the airport, before I even boarded the plane, I was already missing homecooked meals, familiar grocery aisles and the comfort of being surrounded by people who’ve known me forever. Christmas break was exactly what I needed: one month filled with family, friends, and the reminder that no matter how far I travel, home will always feel like home. Now I’m back to reality… Back in my accommodation, back at my desk and back to my reading lists that wasted absolutely no time reminding me that I’m still a law student.

This is the part people don’t always talk about: the emotional whiplash of leaving home after finally settling back into it. Then adjusting to being back in Birmingham. Then going back home again, and so forth. It’s exhausting. But it’s also kind of beautiful, because it means I belong to more than one place now.

I’ve realized that homesickness isn’t something you “solve.” It’s not a problem to eliminate. It’s more like a background app running on your phone, sometimes barely noticeable, other times draining your emotional battery a little faster than expected. Instead of pretending it doesn’t exist, I’m trying to meet it halfway.

Part of that process has been making Birmingham feel less like a temporary stop and more like my life. When I first moved here, my room was giving storage unit vibes: suitcases on display, blank walls, nothing personal. After coming back from Canada, I brought little pieces of home with me. Lots of photos, small decorations, and random sentimental items that probably don’t make sense to anyone else but me. It sounds simple, but walking into a space that feels like mine instead of “where I sleep” makes a difference.

I’ve been thinking a lot about bringing the parts of my life I love at home into my life here. If I’d go to the movies with friends in Toronto, why not start doing that in Birmingham too? If I’d wander into random campus events back home, I can do that here. This term, I want to say yes to more small plans: coffee runs, society events I’m not even officially part of, and random “side quests” with friends. Some will probably turn into nothing, but others might turn into great  memories. Either way, I know it’ll help remind me that life doesn’t pause just because I’m far from home.

Building a routine will also help. Reading for fun, setting aside time to study, going to practice, simply finding a rhythm that feels familiar will bring a sense of normalcy when everything feels different. The biggest shift I’m working toward is letting myself miss home without immediately trying to push the feeling away. I used to think being homesick meant I wasn’t “settled enough” but now, I’m learning to see it differently. Missing people means you’re lucky enough to have people worth missing, and that’s not something I want to rush past.

I’m still learning. My program is two years long, but I don’t think I’ll ever fully stop missing home. I don’t think I want to either, what I do want is to keep building something here alongside it. Because one day, I’ll leave Birmingham too, and I’ll probably miss this place in the same quiet, heavy, and grateful way