Don’t worry, homesickness is common at military basic training. Being isolated from your kids, spouse, parents, etc for an extended period of time can be as stressful as not being prepared to face drill sergeants. No one ever said joining the military would be easy.

If you think homesickness will be a problem for you, I would recommend packing a few essential supplies with you to boot camp. First, you will need stamps, and a lot of them. Don’t just bring enough stamps for you, but bring some for your fellow recruits. Extra stamps are a great way to make friends as recruits are always looking for stamps. Second, you will need some stationary and pens, although it might be obvious to bring these items, many recruits forget. Many recruits think they will have access to a person computer in the evening where they can kick their feet up and log onto Facebook. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook has more tips on dealing with homesickness.

I received an email from a recruit going to Army basic training next month; he was worried that while he was away at Army training, his young kids would forget who he was. They won't forget who you are, but before you leave, don’t forget the supplies I recommend above. It’s human nature to not truly miss something until it’s gone. You may think homesickness won’t be an issue for you, but it may be an issue for your loved ones. Every second of every day of basic training will be planned for you from the minute you arrive. You will certainly be busy, but your loved ones back home may not be. So, make sure the affects of your absence from their lives is minimized by sending lots of handwritten letters.

Don’t forget to write down addresses of your friends and family and always have at least one person to rely on back home in case an emergency arises.

SGT Michael Volkin is the author of The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Boot Camp Survival Ultimate Basic Training.