It’s something we all deal with.
Many college students experience FOMO or the fear of missing out. FOMO refers to the idea that other people are living more accomplished lives, or having more fun than you. It can be disheartening to see others accomplish amazing things or venture to new places, while you are sitting at home. However, it is important to remember that you cannot compare your life to your perception of others. Luckily, this feeling can be easily combated with a few easy steps.
One way to avoid FOMO is to reduce your social media intake. I am a firm believer that social media is responsible for most cases of FOMO. On social media, you often see cultivated images of people’s best moments, like going to the beach, or hanging out with friends. You don’t see their lower moments. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. Speaking from experience, it can be beneficial to not be exposed to what other people are doing. It is better to focus on yourself, than trying to live your life worrying about others. If you have an iPhone, you can set your screen time to a certain amount to limit your intake.
Although cliche, another way to defeat FOMO is to do things that make you happy. When I’m pursuing activities that bring me joy and following my own path, I start to forget about what everyone else is doing. Set goals for yourself. The goal can be as small as eating your favorite ice cream or indulging on a netflix show. Make sure to spend quality time with yourself and others to improve your mood.
It is also crucial to pace yourself and remember that you cannot accomplish everything. From clubs to majors to internships, there are so many opportunities to get involved in college. You may feel the urge to join an unmanageable amount of activities just because you feel pressured to, or because your peers are doing so. While this can spark feelings of excitement and ambition, choose a reasonable number of responsibilities to take on. This will reduce stress and allow you to create a healthy balance between work and leisure.
The last tip is to practice gratitude. It is hard to forget what you have when you are focused on what you are lacking. I recommend keeping a journal where you write down daily affirmations. This will serve as a reminder of everything you have to be grateful for. Practicing gratitude also improves your general mental health and well being. Healthline cited two studies that found that practicing gratitude can improve your mood and lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression. Gratitude is a great way to eliminate feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness.
Overall, it is important to instill in yourself that you are enough, no matter what. No social media post or person should dissuade you from feeling otherwise. Hopefully, we as college students can recognize the toxicity of FOMO and try our best to prevent it.