This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.
It’s a Saturday night and your friends are all excited to go out. They are all trying on dresses, curling their hair, and pregaming to Fetty Wap. But for some reason, you aren’t feeling it tonight. You aren’t in the mood to go out: maybe you’ve had a tiring week, or had a rough night last night, or simply want a break. But, you worry that you are going to sit at home all night and just be jealous of your friends that went out, and feel like you are missing out on an incredibly fun night. You also worry that you will feel left out the next morning when your friends are all reliving the night and filling each other in on what guys numbers they got and who embarrassed themselves.
STOP right there. That feeling is called FOMO (fear of missing out), and it can be avoided. Yes, I love going out and having fun with my friends on the weekends, but sometimes taking a break is much needed. First semester, I felt like I had to be going out every Thursday-Saturday, and make Snapchat stories to prove to everyone that I was out and having a good time. That’s the problem with social media now: we are all trying to look like we are having the time of our lives every weekend, when our nights aren’t always as great as they seem over a 20 second Snapchat story. We document the best parts of our night, and don’t show how cold it was when we had to wait in line to get to a bar, or how annoying the boys were at the Mod we were in.
I now realize I don’t need to prove anything. I should be going out to enjoy myself, not to show other people that I have fun. Staying in once in a while and curling up with some tea and a good movie (Audrey Hepburn movies are my recommendation) can be just as enjoyable as an off-campus party. No night is going to be that great that missing out once in a while is the end of the world. What are you missing out on by not going out for one night every month or so? Probably not much. Plus, the chances that a meaningful relationship stems from a drunken hookup are slim to none, so you likely won’t be missing out on the chance to meet your future husband. It’s great if you have a friend to stay in with, because those late night conversations can be so meaningful and are great bonding opportunities. And honestly, staying in once in a while is good for your body (no calories from shots and sugary chasers) and mind. It’s nice to wake up and not be out of commission for an entire day because of a killer hangover. And, it makes going out the next night that much more enjoyable.