FOMO, noun: stands for fear of missing out; anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere
As college students, and particularly the fantastically well-rounded liberal arts students at Haverford College, we’re pressured to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself to us. Every meeting, talk, club, organization, class, and social event is a potentially life-altering experience. So on top of the hundreds of pages of reading and problem sets and essays that we have to finish, we attempt to cram into our schedules every single event that appears even vaguely interesting. We need to attend every talk that could lead to a life-changing epiphany or an inspiration for a thesis or a conversation with a speaker that will determine the course of our careers. We need to engage with every community service project that could produce any kind of self-improvement. We need to join every club that will make us more aware of our peers and the issues that affect us. We need to do everything, we need to know everything, and we need to be everything.
This is precisely the kind of pressure that is placed on the frantic, pressed-for-time liberal arts undergraduate. We were chosen to be Haverford students specifically because we are such well-rounded individuals. We not only got really great SAT scores, but we also made our interviewers laugh and wrote compelling, introspective essays about our lives. When Jess Lord reads off the astonishing accomplishments of a handful of first-year students at the opening of Customs week, we realize how diverse and utterly extraordinary our fellow Haverfordians are. And then we turn to ourselves, and silently consider what we might have already accomplished that is comparable to the feats just listed, and determine what we can accomplish next to be worthy of sitting with a class of students who have practically saved the world already.
So we’ve made it past such incredible hurdles to get to Haverford College, and now everyday is a hurdle. Every day is a challenge to eat three meals (breakfast is essential), sleep 8 hours (I’m ambitious), attend class, finish readings and assignments, go to work, and exercise. Admittedly, a few of those are often left out or only partially completed. And that basic set of tasks for any given day does not take into account the various opportunities and events that will present themselves throughout the year.
Meet with this committee. Attend this club meeting. Go to this information session. Attend this guest speaker’s lecture. Participate in this protest.
I probably go to about 1 event for every 10 events I say “I’m going” to on Facebook. Because it’s just not possible. And there’s no point in feeling guilty about it. Don’t overcommit yourself. You will feel the FOMO, but you must resist it. You must resist it because it’s impossible to take every opportunity. And it’s unhealthy to take every opportunity. You need time for leisure and relaxation in addition to moments for inspiration, epiphany, and intellectual stimulation. You need to let yourself miss out. And don’t be afraid.
Even just attending one guest lecture per semester is a worthwhile experience. Even just attending your class is a worthwhile (and difficult!) endeavor. People will often tell you that you have to squeeze as much into your undergraduate experience as you possibly can, and take advantage of every single opportunity you find. Alternatively, I argue that quality is more important than quantity, and your sanity is more important than a club meeting.
Give yourself a break. Resist FOMO.