I disagree with those above.
Homesickness at uni is different. You feel like crap because everyone around you is having the time of their life whilst you’re lonely and feel like you don’t fit in. It is depressing, been there, done that.
Travelling is different as you’re somewhere completely different, exploring, kept busy. It’s temporary so you have to make the most of it! Also, on a backpacking trip you’re too busy to think about being homesick and dwell on it!
Where as at uni loneliness at first feels depressing as you think you don’t fit in and have a crappy ~3 years ahead of you if you don’t drop out, it does get better as it did for molly but it can still be hard.