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Homesickness is pining for home and family during extended absence. It stems from the loss of security, comfort and familiarity – and it's quite common among college freshmen. A 2016 study by researchers at the Higher Education Research Institute at University of California-Los Angeles found that 71 percent of college freshmen reported feelings of homesickness, and 57 percent felt isolated from campus life.

These feelings can be especially sharp in freshmen who've enrolled in a college that's far removed from the familiarity and comfort of their childhood home. Mild homesickness can actually be enabling – many students overcome mild feelings of homesickness by throwing themselves headlong into their studies and embracing the social aspects of college life. Embracing the many changes that come with entering college can help new situations become familiar more quickly.

For others, intense homesickness, and the ensuing feelings of depression, can be crippling. Intense homesickness is more than just missing family and home — it's missing all that's familiar, normal and comfortable. For these students, it's important to remember that you aren't alone; remember, nearly three-quarters of all college freshmen have experienced these same feelings.

Put these three steps into play to help combat homesickness:

• 1. Get comfy with your new surroundings.

  Don't stay isolated in your dorm room. Explore campus, especially places where students congregate. Talk to people. Make new friends. Explore your new city. Find places you like to eat, hang out and study. The more you get to know your new surroundings, the less scary and inhibitive they will be.

• 2. Get involved.

  Join an on-campus club or organization, or a local gym. Soak up your free time with activities you enjoy. College can be hard work, but it also can be fun. Nothing to do at night? Go root for your university at sporting events – chances are you'll make some friends along the way. The more social connections you make in your new home, the more it will begin to feel like your old home.

• 3. Seek counseling.

  College counselors are experts at helping homesick freshmen overcome the challenges of leaving home and establishing their own identity in a new place. Seek out these free resources to relieve feelings of isolation and homesickness.

Keeping a full schedule – and not just with the boring routine of study, eat, sleep – is a great way for college freshmen to overcome feelings of homesickness. The less idle time you have, the less you'll pine for home.

Loneliness and homesickness go hand-in-hand. Both are common feelings for students who move away from home are surrounded every day by new and unfamiliar faces. Intense feelings of loneliness can prevent students from successfully making the transition to college life and living independently.

Don't let loneliness ruin your freshman year. Easier said than done, of course, but it's crucial that college freshmen overcome loneliness so they can concentrate on their studies and building the new connections that will alleviate loneliness.

Here are some suggestions college freshman can use to help them combat loneliness:

• 1. Leave the dorms.

  Isolation fosters loneliness. The more students get out of their dorm rooms the less likely they are to feel alone.

• 2. Share your feelings.

  Almost every first-year student who has left home for the first time experiences loneliness. Don't bottle up or “gunnysack” those feelings. Think of a gunnysack slung over the shoulder — every feeling that's repressed is added to the sack and it becomes heavier. Eventually it's too much weight to bear. Talking to like-minded people about feelings of loneliness and isolation empties the sack. Don't forget to listen when others speak of their issues – conversation is a give-and take experience.

• 3. Facebook isn't the best place to find friends.

  First-year students need real friends, ones with which they can share meals, laughter, conversation and tears. They need a shoulder to lean on – and digital friends have cold shoulders. Social media is great for finding out where to go for a pre-game tailgate barbecue or other social function, but it's the real-life flesh and blood friends that will help keep loneliness at bay.

• 4. Temper expectations.

  Everyone's seen televised sporting events where thousands of raucous students cheer on their beloved home teams (think Duke basketball or Michigan football). Those are fleeting moments in the larger story of the college experience. Students who grasp the tough realities of college are better equipped to handle its many and varied challenges.

Humans are social creatures. The only way to truly conquer loneliness is to form meaningful connections with others.

Depression is a serious problem in anyone's life. For college students, it's also a common issue – 63 percent of all college students say they frequently or occasionally felt depressed after entering college, the Higher Education Research Institute reports.

Depression in college students is more than just missing mom and dad, or feeling a bit blue because students don't have a large circle of friends with which to hang out. College students – especially those who move far from home – are burdened with a wide range of new challenges and pressures that can make them feel overwhelmed. They also are adjusting to the leap from adolescence to adulthood. Many of these factors can trigger or exacerbate depression in college students.

Depression is a serious medical condition – but it's also treatable. Students should watch for these signs and symptoms of depression in themselves and in their classmates:

• Constant feelings of sadness, emptiness and hopelessness

• Lack of pleasure in activities or interests

• Low energy and constant fatigue

• Difficulty sleeping, or oversleeping

• Feelings of guilt and worthlessness

• Restlessness

• Irritability

• Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression manifests differently in everyone. If symptoms such as these are interfering with student's academic and social success, seek help. Colleges provide mental health and counselling services to help students overcome depression and return to normal function. Don't put off seeking help — winning the battle against depression starts with early treatment, the National Institute for Mental Health reports.

Treatment for depression includes discussing issues with a school counselor, psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker, and in some cases medical professionals will prescribe medication to help students better manage their moods and feelings.