So, What is FOMO?
For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). FOMO is the fear of missing out on experiences, social activities, or opportunities in which people around you engage. It seems like such a silly thing to cause problems – but it does. This has been a problem for me even when I was just as young as ten years old because I wanted to be like my favorite YouTube creators, I begged my mom to let me have my own. I did not want to miss out on the opportunity to become the best YouTube creator of all time (I’m sure we all know that did NOT happen). This is just one example of it being a problem when I was younger, but as I moved into high school and now college, the issue became more and more prevalent.
College is a place full of events and opportunities on campus right at your fingertips. Most freshmen specifically live on campus, living with their best friends and peers and the freedom runs wild. Academic opportunities, extracurricular activities, organizations, and social hangouts are all over, especially if you attend a large university like I do, Texas A&M. This allows for tons of FOMO on the college level.
So, why is FOMO so prevalent in college?
Today, there are many different outlets and opportunities to feel FOMO. In an age of social media, we are constantly watching others posting a highlight reel of their lives. I love posting on social media and keeping my memories there forever, I mean I have over a thousand posts in my spam. Anytime I hang out with my friends, whether it’s going out for ice cream, having a movie night, or going to a fun party, I like to post. This is a personal example, that connects to something so widespread.
Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok all showcase highlight reels of each other’s lives that feed into the fear of missing out. From seeing peers at a party to seeing someone at an internship can cause comparison and FOMO. People are constantly posting at different social events, academic opportunities, or trips. Student that engage in this content can begin comparing themselves, and feel like they need to do more and engage in more activities to reach the level of their peers.
Also with social media, texting, and group chats, we have constant access to each other to make plans or engage in something. Whether there’s a flyer being posted for a new activity on campus, a party, or a new internship, you are always seeing different opportunities to do something new. In group chats, there is always a flyer being sent or plans being made leaving you no real way to disconnect. It is hard to turn down hanging out with friends and missing out on memories. You never want to be out of the loop or feel disconnected after missing a hangout – this is FOMO.
People also advertise college as a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you cannot pass up. From the time you enter freshman year, you are about to embark on the best four years of your life and take advantage of all opportunities. Students feel like they always have to be at every party, study abroad, network, meet lifelong friends, join clubs – the list goes on. It makes it so hard to be okay with staying in or joining every club.
So, what are the negative effects of FOMO in college?
Many students begin to feel stress and burnout as a result of spreading themselves too thin, trying to do anything and everything they can. Juggling academic endeavors, maintaining friendships, and extracurricular activities can become overwhelming and result in burnout in all categories.
When students feel like they are missing out on something or not doing as much as their peers, feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and even depression, whenever I miss out on a hangout with my friends, usually because I’m attending another event, I begin to overthink and wonder if not being there is creating a disconnect between me and my friends, even though I know it’s not true. The same happens in comparison to other academic and professional achievements.
FOMO can also affect academic success, as it gets hard to turn down fun opportunities, and you focus less on your school work. Whether it is staying up until 3 AM knowing you have an exam in the morning or hanging out while you should be studying. It definitely can cause a strain on academics.
So, what can we do about FOMO?
I think it is so important, especially in college as we are all growing and learning how to navigate life, to make sure that we are taking time for ourselves and not base our worth or accomplishments on those around us. Remember that social media is not everything, and just because you see others doing “more” does not mean that you have to change anything about what you’re doing. Everyone is moving at a different pace. It is okay to say no every now and then to a hangout if you know that it isn’t the best time for you, or if you have to prioritize other things – your friends will still love and support you. Mental health and academics will always come first! While you’re out, live in the moment, and don’t fill your mind with what you could have been doing, or other things you are missing out on. Live in the moment, and be grateful and appreciative of what you are doing, even if that means staying off social media for a little. Constant comparison is not healthy. Don’t rush into every internship or every organization if you’re feeling overwhelmed – your accomplishments are still big and important, it’s quality over quantity. Lastly, embrace the college journey! There is no right way to do it, and everyone has a different journey. Missing out on one thing does not mean missing out on everything! In true Texas A&M fashion, let’s BTHO FOMO!