This phobia is contracted as soon as your first college semester begins. Its first symptoms appear at involvement fairs and while browsing through applications for leadership and experiential opportunities. Other symptoms arise during happy hour and Panhellenic recruitment. Almost every college student has developed this phobia by the time they are in their third semester at their university.
This public announcement has been published to declare to every individual that you are not alone!
When in college, students feel as if they have to be involved in everything. They’re fresh out of high school, they’ve realized how quickly the time flies by, they’re eager and, most importantly, they’re used to being busy. Whenever a new organization pops up, or an opportunity to gain a leadership role is extended, students jump on it without thinking about their passions, time commitment and the other commitments they already have.
I was one of those students. I went to involvement fairs, I applied for countless leadership positions, I asked professors to take me on as a research assistant, I have attended countless social events with my roommates and seriously considered sorority recruitment. Eventually, I realized the reason why I was doing this to myself. I was worried that I was not extracting the maximum amount from my college experience that I could have. I was constantly asking myself, Am I missing out? Will my college experience be incomplete if I don’t participate?
It was not until the end of my sophomore year that I realized I was stressed, unhappy, wasn’t enjoying my time in college and I had no reason to continue being involved unless I was just using these experiences to boost my resume. A multitude of other college students feel the same way I do, and it’s because they are afraid of not experiencing college to the fullest.
In order to escape misery, I finally decided to that I was going to stop attending the meetings that did not continue to incite my passions, that were taking too much time away from my personal endeavors (like working out, meal prepping, spending time with my loved ones) and were ultimately causing more stress than enjoyment.
And surprisingly, I didn’t spontaneously combust. I’m now involved in only two clubs, I have a job and am in an internship. Of course, there are moments where I sit down with my roommates who all are accomplishing wonderful things in each of their organizations and lives, and I think, Am I missing out? But I just take a deep breath and consider my life as it is now, well balanced, less stressful than previous years and I am truly passionate about all the things I’m involved in.
I encourage all students to reflect on their involvement and their happiness. Instead of asking, Am I missing out?, you should be asking, Am I happy? Am I passionate? Will I be happier if I decide to withdraw from this organization, leadership position, or social club? Ultimately, you shouldn’t be doing things because of the pressure to be overly involved. You should be doing them because you love them, because you have the time to, and because they are what will make your college experience special. It is better to be extremely involved in one organization than barely involved in many.
Courtesy: The Odyssey
Join the rest of the stress-free, happy college population!