Between classes, meetings, volunteer work, lunch dates, and study sessions, ambitious and savvy collegiettes™ have a lot on their plates —and we’re only talking about the daytime! So, what to do when your day planner is already filled to the brim yet you just can’t fathom spending a Thursday night in with your boyfriend pillow, fro-yo, and Mean Girls when there is a smorgasbord of frat parties, socials, and girls nights to pick and choose from?
If the aforementioned situation sounds familiar, you may have a classic case of “Fear of Missing Out,” or FOMO. As collegiettes™ we aim to make the most of our sweet-yet-fleeting college experience, even if that means cutting corners in the sleeping area in order to make happy hour at the best dive bar downtown. Never fear, sister! Once you have been officially diagnosed with FOMO, you’ve got your work cut out for you. With a little self-prescribed time management, a dose of social finesse, and a dab of academic integrity, you have the perfect formula to successfully balance work with play.
A Little Insight on FOMO
FOMO quickly manifests itself as a stressful and taxing condition when we allow ourselves to believe the false notion that saying ‘no’ to a social event instantly equates to a dull evening. This is simply not true! According to Dan Ariely, professor of behavioral economics at Duke University, social media is undeniably to blame for this recent, widespread phenomenon.
“When we scroll through pictures and status updates, the worry that tugs at the corners of our minds is set off by the fear of regret,” Ariely says. “We become afraid that we’ve made the wrong decision about how to spend our time.” If you feel like you have fallen victim to FOMO, logging out of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social networking sites may help quell the feelings of anxiety and regret surrounding your night in. College is the prime time to rack up new friends and experiences, and we often feel the pressure to grasp at every new opportunity. However, getting a handle on FOMO before it controls you beyond college is key. Try continually reminding yourself that your social life is not dictated by your peers, sorority sisters, or roommates, but only by you!
[pagebreak]
You Are Cordially Invited To…
It may seem like a no-brainer, but getting the invite is the first step to mastering your weekly social schedule. When it comes to campus socials or frat parties, most casual invites are sent out via Facebook at least a week in advance. As soon as your newsfeed begins to clutter up with enticing raves, birthday parties, and theme socials, begin to prioritize and plan accordingly. Although multiple invites may be overwhelming, resist the urge to RSVP to every opportunity. If it feels like you may be tempted to overload your nights with events during a busy week, take the high road and disable your Facebook events for a few days. This will allow you to clear your head and put things into perspective for the next round of parties and socials.
Prioritize Accordingly
After nabbing numerous invites (and feeling immenselypopular, might we add!) comes the tricky part — saying “yay” or “nay” to events that may conflict with academic commitments. We sometimes have the worst habit of forgetting why we are in school in the first place — to educate ourselves! Although making new friends and memorable experiences is undoubtedly important, academics should always come first.
Boston College ’11 graduate Allison Lantero was all too aware of this when she had to pass on a huge sporting event during her junior year. “I remember not being able to road trip out to Notre Dame for our annual rival football game because I just had way too much work,” she said. “I worked all weekend, taking a short break to go to a friend’s house to watch the game on TV.” Although she missed out on a big social event, her diligence opened doors to even bigger experiences after a difficult semester. “I had a great time watching the game at my friend’s house and felt really productive,” she said. “Although that semester was rough, and at times felt like I had no life, it was totally worth it when I was able to study abroad in Venice.”
When prioritizing your social and academic commitments always weigh the pros and cons in list form before saying ‘yes’ to an invite. If some of your cons include points like ‘failing a test,’ ‘missing class,’ or ‘falling behind on work,’ it may in your best interest to cut your losses and catch up on work. Don’t sweat it, collegiettes™! There will always be the promise of a fun night in the future.
[pagebreak]
Remember: Time Management Is Key!
In order to avoid missing out on fun and fabulous activities throughout the week, keeping track of commitments both on campus and off is vital. According to Allison, time management tactics like keeping a calendar help her quickly transition from the classroom to evening socials. “I made a Google Calendar that I color coded based on topic and how important they were,” she said. “I also set event reminders for a few days before things were due.”
Boston University sophomore Kelsey Mulvey also notes that procrastination is one of time management’s biggest rivals when it comes to setting time aside for social events. “I always think if I get my school work out of the way, I’ll have time to do more fun things later. I know it’s so clichéd, but it works!” Tried and true collegiette™ task management tools include keeping checklists, filling a day planner, or using colorful sticky notes as helpful reminders of daily happenings. When color coding a Google calendar, give your highest priority tasks red, middle-of-the-road yellow, and easy, breezy tasks green. This will allow you to visually prioritize your plans throughout the week.
When To Say ‘No’…
If an important exam, big paper, or class project is just around the corner, it may be smart to skip the frat party, no matter how “important” it may seem. Rutgers journalism major Stephanie notes that parties may not always be what they are cracked up to be. “College parties are fun, but sometimes reckless,” she said. “They’re not worth skipping an exam or not completing an assignment.” Although the upcoming “Anything But Clothes” party may seem tempting, if you have a big assignment coming up, give your favorite frat a rain check and hit the books! Staying in has the potential to be fun with enough creativity and an open mind. So get your girls together for a study session complete with snacks, plentiful amounts of coffee, and study tools.
…And When To Say ‘Yes!’
When your academic commitments are all squared away and free time is just around the corner, it’s time to prep for partying! To celebrate your hard work and diligence during the daytime, go all out by getting ready to a danceable party playlist and having girlfriends over to put together outfits for a night out on the town. You’ve earned this night out, girlfriend! Keep it classy and responsible — and make sure that you don’t stay out too late and sleep through class the next morning!