“Yolo”, the popular acronym universally understood by everyone with working ears and half a brain, has not only been overused and inserted every possible way into normal conversation, but has even been made into a song… by The Lonely Island. And you know it’s time to retire a word when Andy Samberg turns it into one of his own jokes. Sure, the word will be resurrected in 20 years when movie producers make comedic movies about the early 2010s, but until then, I say we throw “yolo” into the back of our closets like we did with our denim mini skirts and halter tops.
Naturally, people will search for a replacement slogan to accompany and justify a spontaneous/adventurous/dangerous scheme.
So, I’m here to suggest not only a new acronym that you can overuse on all social media sites, but also a phrase you can use to possibly re-invent your outlook on the time you spend in college. Although I can’t promise you’ll like it or that in 3 years when it’s popular it won’t be plastered on a neon snapback or cheesy t-shirts, I can promise you it’s new and can be used as a good excuse for “Why’d you jump into St. Joe’s lake with your friends at 3 am?”
Because “Fomo”, of course.
Fear Of Missing Out. It’s a real thing, and I certainly have made sure to use it to my advantage. A fellow smick introduced it at the beginning of the semester, and let’s just say I’ve done many more adventurous things since coming back to school. “Fomo” is almost a trigger phrase, and anytime I hear it I automatically have to join in whatever shenanigans my friends are doing in fear that I will miss a great experience. Would you rather be a part of the fun and have a great story to tell, or be the one to hear about a great story over waffles in the DH on Sunday morning
Yes, it’s only four words, and the actual phrase “fomo” is not the reason why you’ll do half the adventurous things you’ll try, but the phrase has definitely helped me to think about being more spontaneous and doing things on a whim. Seriously though, who wants to miss out on a fun weekend and a great story?! With the gloomy winter months approaching, I encourage everyone to develop a little “fomo” and do something outside your comfort zone. Maybe it’s taking the train to Chicago one Saturday, shotgunning a beer on the bridge at SMC, climbing Stepan Center, going to the Navy dance, driving down to an all-men’s college to see Timeflies perform for the second time in a week, or even attempting the impossible and ultimate feat of stealing a golf cart on Notre Dame’s campus. Whatever it is, you’ve only got (at most) four more years to do some of this stuff, so why not check it all off your SMC/ND bucket list? Instead of just wishing you were adventurous, get out there and take action.