We have all had that feeling, especially after checking Snapchat or Instagram, that something really great is happening — and we’re missing out.

FOMO, or the fear of missing out, is a culturally relevant phenomenon that has become increasingly prominent with the use of social media. The word has even been added to the Oxford dictionary and is defined as, “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media.”

FOMO is an ailment that targets college students and millennials almost entirely. The old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side,” feels very relevant to this new aspect of our culture. We constantly live with the idea that everyone we see on our timelines is having the time of their life, while we couldn’t possibly be having that much fun.

The reality of the situation is that our generation has forgotten that social media was created for people to put the best version of themselves out there. Of course, people in their stories are having fun, but it’s not always what it seems. An article written by professors at the University of California and the University of Toledo entitled, “Social Comparison, Social Media, and Self-Esteem,” shows research that people compare their real life self to the idealized social media version of others, which is harmful for well-being and self-evaluations. 

FOMO is cyclical. We check social media and feel like we’re missing out, and then post something later to show how much fun we’re having.

As NC State students, we are held to many standards and continue to have increasing amounts of responsibility. Our day-to-day consists of going to classes, going to work, remembering to eat and do laundry and socializing with friends. On top of all of that, we check social media and often feel discomfort from what we see online and what we see with ourselves.

At NC State, FOMO shows itself differently in individual students. For some, they may feel the need to go out multiple times a week — seeing posts on social media of parties, bars or clubs on their timelines. It seems like everyone is doing it, so they should too.

For others, they may feel the need to join multiple clubs and activities on campus. Students may post about meetings or talk about all of their on-campus involvement on social media, which in turn, causes others to feel that they need to do it too. All of this boils down to our inherent fear of missing out.  

Studies have been done targeting this aspect of our culture as written about by Time Magazine and the American Psychological Association, where researchers are trying to discover where this feeling comes from and how we can aim to eliminate it, but it all boils down to self-reflection and confidence. Once you realize that no party is as awesome as it seems on Snapchat, it can sometimes feel better to get those extra hours of sleep.

Or, when you decide that being a part of a few clubs is better than being overwhelmed, having a balanced schedule feels amazing. It’s all about being confident in yourself and deciding to do what’s best for you rather than trying to keep up with the people you follow online. This advice may seem trivial, but think about it whenever you watch Snapchat stories and see a party you missed out on. Focusing on yourself is the most important thing, and one of the only ways to overcome FOMO.