Dealing with Summer “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out)
FOMO [foh-mo] “Fear of Missing Out”: noun
- The fear that if you miss a party or event you will miss out on something great
- How you justify your never-ending procrastination
When I was neck-deep in finals, the freedom of summer was the light at the end of the tunnel. Knowing that I would eventually be able to socialize with friends, go on adventures, and binge watch TV guilt-free was at times, my only motivation. Now that it’s here, my life isn’t as picturesque as my coffee addled brain imagined it to be. This summer my plate is still full with work, school, and an attempt at a social life. This isn’t uncommon for a lot of students, and I’ve had feelings of envy towards my friends who have more free time than me. Now, this isn’t my first time trying to “have it all” and I’ve learnt a few tricks about having fun and being productive that you can use to avoid feeling like you’re missing out on your summer:
- Schedule Fun: Most of my favorite memories have been when I’ve decided to go on some adventure on a whim. Dropping everything for hours on end isn’t really conducive to homework, so I reached a compromise “Planned Spontaneity”. Essentially, I just dedicate certain days where I don’t necessarily have plans, but I definitely don’t do any schoolwork. Your schedule will definitely look different, but a good rule of thumb is to dedicate days/hours where you’re most productive to schoolwork and the rest to fun!
- Small Things Add Up: Concentrating on schoolwork when the sun is calling your name is probably one of the toughest challenges you face this summer. Given the faster pace of most courses, it’s imperative that you stay on top of your schoolwork before you end up weeks behind. This doesn’t mean that you need to lock yourself in a study room for 8 hours to get work done, (realistically you’d just spend most of that time idling away on the Internet anyways). One way to combat this is to remember that short bursts of productivity count. Setting a goal of going through at least one textbook question or chapter each day may be really difficult on those nice summer days but allows you to maintain momentum without needing to dedicate your entire weekend to school.
- Study Buddies: The easiest way to not feel left out is to find some fellow peers who are going through the same thing. That way, you can combine studying with socialization, making it infinitely more palatable. If you want to up your studying game a notch, explore study spaces outside of the one place on campus . I’d recommend the Vancouver Public Library downtown and here’s a handy list from Vancity Buzz for some cool coffee shops: http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/02/great-vancouver-cafes-seating-wifi-work/
- Learn to Say No: This is easier said than done and I’m definitely guilty of over scheduling myself. I find that the hardest thing is to know when you’re making the right decision, the only advice I have for that is to be introspective and realistic. Sometimes you need to escape from schoolwork, but it might not be the best time to do that the day before an essay is due. Remember, as soon as you’ve said no, AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA AT ALL COSTS. Don’t indulge your FOMO by browsing through your friend’s Snapchat stories (or instagram posts, or facebook etc.). There’s no need to torture yourself after making the decision to stay in, turn off all the devices and avoid Netflix as much as humanly possible.
- Make a Bucket List: Sometimes FOMO is retroactive, at the end of the summer you look and all the fun you had gets overshadowed by the hours you spent in the classroom. The good thing about a bucket list is that it’s both a motivation to do cool things, and a reminder of all the cool things you did. I’d recommend making a collaborative Google Doc with your friends, it’s way more fun that way.
It can be hard taking summer courses when everyone else around you seems to be gallivanting off into the horizon (at least according to their plethora of Facebook pics). That said, being a summer student isn’t all bad. There are definite long-term perks to taking courses in the summer, it lessens your burden during the school year and taking the time to focus on one course allows you to understand more than when you have to juggle several. Though the lovely weather of the summer makes it seem like it’s the only time to have fun in Vancouver it’s actually not! Your fun doesn’t need to be concentrated in 4 months, even though that’s when you get the most likes on your obligatory hiking photos. The secret to having a good summer is to be easy on yourself, and to enjoy the small moments.
