It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in Binghamton, which we all know is rare, and you and your friends decide that it’s a perfect day to go to the lake. You throw some suntan lotion into your tote bag and run to meet up with your friends, preparing to spend a glorious day basking in the sun.
As you and your friends pile into the car, a wave of nausea comes over you, causing your stomach to churn. You’ve suddenly remembered that you have a biology exam tomorrow that you have yet to even start studying for. In your ultimate moment of panic, you have two options: forgo a beautiful day and confine yourself to the library, or say screw it and join your friends.
If you or any of your friends have ever been involved in a situation like this, then chances are that you have come down with a case of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) ‘ an epidemic that is sweeping college kids all over the nation and Binghamton.
Symptoms of FOMO include the strong urge or desire to miss important events or forgo school work in order to be included in whatever your friends are doing. It is the ultimate fear that you will miss out on a priceless moment and will regret having not been there for the rest of your life.
Most commonly infecting college kids, dorm style living is usually a conducive environment to FOMO. Constantly surrounded by people and often living in very close quarters with your friends means constantly being exposed to anything fun that is going on around you. When you have important things to do, such as school work, it can be impossible to ignore the fact that your friends are hanging out right next door without you.
‘Last year, I lived in the same dorm hall with a large group of my friends,’ said Rachel Leitner, a junior majoring in human development. ‘Between all of us, there was always something fun going on, which made it very hard to focus on school work.’
Although it is important to spend time with your friends and have a social life, it is crucial to realize that it’s fine to miss out sometimes, especially if it’s for school work, which should always comes first. Academics are the most important part of college and your performance in school has a profound impact on your future, something to remember the next time you question missing movie night the day before a test.
A great way to relieve FOMO is to leave the dorm hall and head over to a quiet area, such as the library or a study lounge.
‘Whenever I have a test or a paper, I lock myself in the library,’ said Jen Shlomo, a junior majoring in English. ‘The dorm is way too distracting when I need to get stuff done.’
Another key to overcoming FOMO is time management. After receiving the syllabi for your new classes, mark down when you have tests and assignments due in a planner. Being aware of what you have due, and when you have to do it, will help you to realize when it is and isn’t OK to ditch schoolwork for other stuff.
If you have previously or currently experienced signs or symptoms of FOMO, just remember that missing out on one moment doesn’t mean that you are missing out on everything. You have four years of college to make unforgettable memories.