Maintaining friendships and connection with family in your home country is very important. Sometimes internet, phone, or mail connections in your home country may be interrupted during crises. Resources for contacting your home country during a crisis may differ depending on the type of crisis. Some possible resources for making contact may include:
Media coverage may help you feel informed, but it may also cause confusion, helplessness, and anxiety.
If you are feeling stressed, try to limit the amount of news you consume each day.
If you do watch and read the news, try to verify that your sources are trustworthy and reliable.
When you are feeling lonely, reach out to your support system.
Close family members, trusted friends, mentors, professors, classmates, and coworkers may all be available and willing to help.
Coping with a crisis in your home country can be very difficult. It is important to know that different coping strategies work for different people, and the best resource you have is to talk with someone at OSU. If you haven’t already, check out our Resources sections. Other coping strategies may include:
For more help with coping during a crisis, contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for professional guidance on coping with a crisis or emergency in your life.