We have all heard of the term “FOMO” or “fear of missing out” and many of us have experienced it or continue to experience it in college. When I was in high school, I had major “FOMO” when I would see everyone going out and partying on the weekends. I kept myself busy in high school by taking rigorous classes and two to three extracurriculars at a given time. I had a small friend group with my best friends and instead of partying, we would go to Harvard Square or come into the city, or we would watch movies in our friends’ Maya and Romi’s basement. I thoroughly enjoyed doing these activities with my friends, and looking back I don’t regret anything. However, 16-year-old me always felt like I was missing out on a “better” or more “enjoyable” experience somewhere else.
My FOMO carried into college and heightened during my freshman year when I would see people going out and having fun on social media despite the covid restrictions while I was sitting in my dorm in Warren Towers with “Gossip Girl” playing on my laptop and a side of Ben and Jerry’s on my desk. I knew I shouldn’t be going out, and even when presented with a few opportunities to go to “Marmon” or some other sort of party, I refused and took precautions to keep me, my family and friends, safe from COVID-19. But then again, I saw people going to these parties and thought to myself “that could have been me.” So, my FOMO lingered and I told myself that when covid restrictions are lifted, I want to go out with my friends, make the most of college, and hope that I don’t experience “FOMO.”
When I did start going out more during my summer and fall semesters, I was surely feeling less like I was missing out because I was doing everything that other people were doing. But as the semester went by, assignments started piling up, my week got busier and I was absolutely exhausted. But because of “FOMO,” I continued going out. I posted pictures on my social media, where it looked like I was having the best time but I was tired and wanted to be back in my room.
After going through this cycle multiple times, I realized that I did not want to go out every weekend and do what everyone else was posting about on their social media. My “FOMO” started to disappear by the end of the fall semester. In college, people post about everything they do and I have been guilty of this, but this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re missing out on something. As cliche and overused as this phrase sounds, social media is fake.
Consider this example: you see a Snapchat story of your friend at a frat party with loud music, tons of people, and colorful lights while you are in your dorm with no parties planned for the weekend. You feel like you are missing out and should be at that frat party but in reality, that party is probably is in a basement of a frat house where everyone is sweating and it’s so packed that there is barely any room to walk or dance, and they play one good song during which everyone takes their phones out and starts posting on Snapchat.
This is not to say that every party is bad, because it’s not. Dressing up and going out when you want to, and not because you feel like you have to can result in some of the best nights and memories. But sometimes, its more fun to put away your phone, order your favorite takeout with your close friends and watch an episode of your favorite show.
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