Pradhi, Week 16 - FOMO
FOMO—otherwise known as the "fear of missing out."
An abbreviation you may have seen before, as it is that of a feeling felt by many people our age. Missing out on what, you may ask? It could be something as simple as an event or an inside joke, or maybe something you just weren't invited to.
My relationship with FOMO? I can describe at least 3 or 4 times in high school alone when I have felt major FOMO. Yes, it is pretty embarrassing to admit but I know I'm not the only one with this fear; and oftentimes, it's no one's fault.
For instance, sometimes I regret not participating in certain activities I could have been a part of (especially after seeing how fun they look). But deep down, I know I would have been too stressed out with my workload to participate in those activities.
I know we say that you should always experience new things, but there's always too much going on to run around trying to do everything. Over time, I've learned that no person in life will ever be able to experience every single little thing. And maybe we should come to terms with that.
Actually, there's a funny story as to how I came to terms with this. It's a little corny, but there's a Bollywood movie I watched several times as a child. At this time, I mainly enjoyed these movies for their songs and didn't pay too close attention to the dialogue or the plot. I rewatched it again a few years later, and there was a specific line that stuck with me. It roughly translates to "do whatever you want, but no matter how hard you try, you're bound to miss out on something in life. So wherever you are, just take advantage of the fun in that moment." And this is something I keep quoting to myself mentally.
So as I finish up this one last blog, I'd like to reiterate this quote back to you guys. Very soon, we'll be seniors, and I know we are all approaching this upcoming school year with a great deal of anxiety and bittersweetness; for most of us, we want this year to be the most fun one yet. So my advice to you? Have fun, and just live in the moment. As simple as that. Here's to our last year of high school. :)
Hi Pradhi! I cannot express how much your blog resonates with me. I definitely struggle with FOMO. I am ashamed to admit this, but sometimes when I am sick, I still go to school. I don’t want to get others sick, but I am scared that I might miss something fun or important. Of course, when I have a fever, I always stay home. But, even if I go to school, I probably won’t enjoy doing the activity itself. I enjoyed reading how you came to realize that no one can experience every single thing in life. As children, we might not understand messages from movies, but once we’re older, we start to pay attention to the little details of movies. I really like the quote that you share. I think it is extremely valuable and great advice for senior year. I am a little sad that this year is almost ending, but I know that next year will be amazing and fun. Thank you so much for writing this blog! I hope that we will have an eventful senior year.
ReplyDeletePradhi, your relationship with FOMO is so relatable! I’d actually attribute 90% of my procrastination to the fear of missing out, simply because I feel like there’s so much I could be doing during the day while the sun is out, and it would be a waste to just sit inside and do work when that could be done at night as well. (Unfortunately, that mindset does not work out too well in the long run). I can totally understand your feelings about the “3 or 4 times in high school alone when [you] have felt major FOMO”—high school is definitely something I think we all would want to make the most memories in, so missing out on major events isn’t really fun at all. I felt this way about missing prom this year because it was so close to AP testing dates! I really appreciated your insight, however, about how “no person in life will ever be able to experience every single little thing.” It does make a powerful statement about the need for balance in life, missing out on some things but taking part in others and coming to accept the fact. I really loved the way you wrote your blog! The mix of a conversational and reflective tone to talk about utterly inspiring and deep principles of life made me want even more from your blog. Thank you for the incredibly valuable advice that I’ll be taking around with me for the rest of my life, and I hope you enjoy senior year and get to partake in every activity you really want to! 🥂
ReplyDeleteHi Pradhi! Your FOMO is so so so relatable. Like you, I always feel FOMO after skipping out on an outing/fun event because of work. I know that staying home and finishing my work is the best choice, but I can't help but feel jealous of my other friends who are able to go out and have fun every week. This is especially true this year. Junior year has been so hectic for all of us and we've had to miss out on so many events because of tests, projects, and dreaded APs. A lot of my friends and I were super upset that prom was the weekend before APs this year. Prom is such a crucial part of the "high school experience," and not going definitely made me grapple with a strong case of FOMO. But just as you said, everyone feels FOMO about different things. Ultimately the path we choose to go down is what's right for us in one way or the other. I hope that we won't face any major FOMO next year as seniors!
ReplyDeleteHi Pradhi! I love that you wrote about this because it is absolutely so relatable! I cannot even recall the countless events I missed out on (hangouts with my friends, school events, etc.) because I said that I was too busy with extracurriculars and the pressures of school this year.
ReplyDeleteI like the short paragraph format because it maintains the informal and connective essence of you overall blog. The quote that you mentioned resonates with me so much because I really need to be more open to saying yes to certain things especially in senior year, the last year of our high school journey. Looking back on the instagram stories and such that my friends post about events that I missed, I realize that like you said sometimes I will miss out on things but it is important to "take advantage of the fun in that moment!" Thank you for your blog!