It’s a disease, it’s deadly, it’s catastrophic and it is taking over millennials everywhere – F.O.M.O.
For those of you who don’t know what F.O.M.O. is, you are one of the lucky ones. For those of you who are blushing with guilt at the very acronym, this is for you.
The fear of missing out has overpowered every ounce of independence in our generation. People can no longer stay in for a night and embrace the beauty of alone time and relaxation. Instead, Snapchats and pictures on Instagram haunt their brain with what everyone else is doing at that very moment. The thought that you should be out doing something too, something worth posting about, dilutes the necessity for self care. Everybody has been there – laying in your bed with no makeup on, in your robe, binge watching Gossip Girl or The Office after drowning in a week of stressful classes and overwhelming homework. But what’s that? A Snapchat from your roommate? Singing loudly and dancing crazy at a party. It looks like she’s having the time of her life…
Here’s the thing: She’s not. The perfection in an Instagram picture was planned and edited for everyone to see that she went out and looked beautiful. The 10 second Snapchat of her having fun does not reflect the entire night. She is not having the time of her life but even if she was – let her. Let the people around you be fun and crazy while you need a night to wind down and reboot.
The key to overcoming this debilitating emotion is to be honest with yourself. Be comfortable with saying, “I know that all of my friends are going out tonight, but I really deserve a night to myself. I am going to stay in and be okay with it. I hope they have the best time and I will be here when they get back.” The odds are, you really aren’t missing much if you don’t go. By all means, get out there, meet people and do fun things, but don’t let it run your life and consume your every thought. Your friends will still be there and the same party will be happening when you’re ready to go out.
Too many people nowadays are focusing more of their energy on not missing out on anything rather than doing what is going to make themselves happy. All of the anxiety and loneliness that goes along with doing one thing, when you’d truly rather be doing another, could be put into something you’re passionate about instead.
Your friends are going out to dinner and you know you shouldn’t spend the money? Stay in and eat at home or in the dining hall. Be okay with that. Your roommate is hanging out with people you don’t particularly like to be around? Do not go, do your own thing. Be okay with that. Thirsty Thursday comes around but you have an 8am exam? Stay in and study. Be okay with that.
Start being more comfortable with making decisions based on what makes YOU happy and what is going to benefit YOU. Once you start making yourself a priority, your angst about not being a part of everything happening will diminish. Soon enough you will not even realize you missed out on anything.
F.O.M.O. comes from your own mindset. Just like the cliche saying, face your fears, look your F.O.M.O. in the eyes and say you’re not letting it control your mind anymore. Be stronger than your F.O.M.O.