Tracing “Friendsickness” During the First Year of College Through Journal Writing: A Qualitative Study

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ISSN 0027-6021

AUTHOR:
Jennifer L. Crissman Ishler D.Ed.

TITLE:
Tracing “Friendsickness” During the First Year of College Through Journal Writing: A Qualitative Study

SUGGESTED CITATION:
Crissman Ishler, J. L. (2003). Tracing “Friendsickness” During the First Year of College Through Journal Writing: A Qualitative Study. NASPA Journal, 41(3), Art. 8. Retrieved May 13, 2009, from http://publications.naspa.org/naspajournal/vol41/iss3/art8

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ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this qualitative study was to consider “friendsickness” as experienced by 96 entering college students. As defined here, friendsickness is a challenge new students experience when they leave their established network of friends and begin college. Journal entries written by new students in first-year seminars were examined and analyzed using a phenomenological framework. Results showed that many first-semester students enrolled in firstyear seminars delayed making new friends at college, whereas second semester students in first-year seminars embraced their new college friendships. The second finding was that journal writing appeared to help students explore and understand their issue of friendsickness.

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