FOMO

Have you heard this term?  I was unfamiliar with it until last weekend when a friend told me about it.  It stands for “Fear of Missing Out,” and is apparently an epidemic for first year students in B-School.  It’s understandable since many students have been in the “real world” for several years and are embarking on a new adventure determined to take full advantage of the experience ... Perhaps, because possibly for the first time, they are funding their education and want to make sure get they get their money’s worth… Perhaps they are worried something AMAZING will happen, and they will only get to hear about it from a firsthand account…Perhaps they saw The Social Network and the repercussions when a member of the group is not physically present…

According to my friend, the FOMO attitude tends to subside as people find their niche and get more settled in,  but it got me thinking…should it?  As an admitted homebody, I am usually the first person to head home during a night out, and am perfectly happy to be curled up on my own couch with a book fashion magazine or watching a documentary Bravo (Let’s be honest).  So, has this affinity for the comfy, convenient, and 8 hours of solid sleep a night led me to miss out on epic experiences, new relationships, great ideas, etc.?  I  hate to think so, but the truth hurts…I’ve missed interesting conversations, spontaneous dance parties, even witnessing a car theft during our friend’s holiday after party…

As in all things, there has to be balance, but I think we can also use a little FOMO…

Spotted here