5 Ways To Avoid FOMO This Summer

Avoiding FOMO can be a challenge. (http://publitify.com/)

There is a horrible affliction spreading to college students all over the world this summer: FOMO. FOMO is a Fear Of Missing Out, and it affects 8 out of 10 college students who make up statistics. FOMO is when you look at Facebook, and everyone else is doing something amazing. It’s when you look at everyone else, and that panic rises in your stomach. I’m Going To Miss Everything. I’m Never Going To Get A Job. I Will Never Be Successful. I Will Lose All My Friends Because I Am So Boring.

All your friends landed really cool internships and are going on really cool vacations. And you’ve spent the last 18 hours watching reruns of “How I Met Your Mother” and eating raw cookie dough (true story). Never fear. Here are five ways to avoid FOMO this summer by following your own path.

1) Do something cool.

I know. That’s the whole problem, you can’t find anything cool to do! You might just be looking at it wrong. Sure, you’re not interning at Google this summer (or maybe you are. Go find something else to read!), but you can still do something great. You could volunteer for a cause that you find interesting. I once spent a whole summer at summer camps, elementary schools and daycare programs, and it was a blast. You could help out with political campaigns in your area, volunteer at the zoo, or do some babysitting. These are some really easy ways to avoid FOMO.

2) Take online classes.

There are plenty of reasons Why You Should Take Online Classes This Summer. For one, you’ll be learning something all those people on vacation in Paris won’t be learning. You’ll be adding to your resume, and to your arsenal of great skills, and you’ll be beating FOMO all at the same time.

I recommend learning to program, or a foreign language, or Psychology 101. You could even take real qualifications if you have some money lying around. Look up some of your interests and see if there is a society or an institute that offers certifications open to students. Many of them do, and it’s a great thing to add to your resume.

Be a tourist in your own town. (unsplash.com)

3) Be a tourist.

So you’re not going to Bali this summer, and you’re not going to save any turtles. But it’s okay. Your own town, city, state or country has plenty of things to do. Imagine that you’re a visitor to your location, or bring a friend from out of town, and act like a tourist. You don’t need a map and white sneakers, you just need to think outside the box.

Go to the local museum and find out about the people who’ve lived in your town. Go to the park or gardens. Look up the best restaurants, or a list of things to do with kids. There will be plenty of ideas, and plenty of photo opportunities that might even make your friend in Bali jealous. I never realized how much there was to my hometown, or how great a method this is to avoid FOMO, before I brought home friends from my study abroad and had to show them the sights!

4) Shut down Facebook.

Often, all it takes to avoid FOMO is to be aware of it, and to stop comparing your life to everyone else’s. Remember that what you see on Facebook is the highlight reel, and you’re experiencing your own backstage. It’s not a fair comparison, and you’re selling yourself short. There’s nothing to be ashamed of if you don’t seem to be doing all the fun things your friends are doing this summer. And there’s nothing to be gained by staring at your newsfeed feeling sorry for yourself. Get out and take charge. Make your summer as cool as theirs.

5) Go outside.

Even the act of just standing up and leaving your room can change your perspective. And who knows, maybe something great will happen when you take the time to interact with the world. Hang out in coffee shops and talk to strangers. Go for long walks. Dance in the rain. Take photos of trees. Meet up with your old friends and teachers. Talk to your parents.

Most importantly, try to make the most of your summer. But the other side of FOMO is spreading yourself too thin: trying to accomplish everything, and be everywhere, and talk to everyone. This can often lead to burnout, and one of the most important parts of summer is recovering from the year. Take the time to stay in bed and read. Watch reruns for a day. Sneak that bag of chips, and eat them all. Enjoy being lazy.