Dear Ida: My daughter just left for college, and while I’m proud of her, the house feels painfully quiet. I didn’t expect this kind of loneliness to hit so hard. Do you have advice for filling this new empty space in my life? – Adjusting to Quiet in Arcadia

Dear Adjusting to Quiet in Arcadia: Congratulations on successfully launching your daughter into adulthood. Becoming an empty-nester can be a daunting but liberating journey.  The options available to you for filling the void are infinite.

When I moved away for college, my mom applied for a grant and used her extra free time to take some classes, including a writing class, a line dancing class, a bowling class, and an interpersonal skills class.  The classes provided her an opportunity to expand her horizons, get some exercise, and also be around people that were my age.

When the time came for my child to leave the nest, I filled my newly found spare time with doing lots of crafts. My favorite past-time is doing cross-stitch projects.  There are lots of free patterns available online and inexpensive kits available at most retail stores like Walmart or Hobby Lobby, or online sites, like Amazon or Etsy. The options for patterns range from super-simple that can be completed in a matter of hours to highly detailed that can take months to complete.  Starter patterns don’t require much skill but do require attention to detail, which helps to keep one’s mind occupied with the task at hand. As a bonus, the completed projects can make great gifts or be sold for extra income.

My sister started growing her own vegetables and honed her baking skills.  She now sells her homemade baked goods for extra cash at a local farmer’s market. She also got more involved with her church, which gets her out of the house.

If you have an adventurous spirit, put together your proverbial bucket list and start with the most outrageous thing on the list then work your way down to the most mundane one.

If you are longing for companionship, try fostering, whether it be children or pets. There are lots of lonely and neglected souls in need of love and fostering is a great way to contribute without a long-term commitment. If fostering seems too daunting or too much like work, try volunteering to visit the elderly at a nursing home or read to children at the library.  Maybe there are kids the same age as your daughter who are away from home for the first time that are struggling with the transition to independence.  Offer to host a small group for dinner once a week.

Like I said, your options are infinite.