FOMO —

definition: "fear of missing out." The fear that if you miss a party or event you will miss out on something great (urban dictionary).

Ever wonder why you are away for a weekend and check social media then all of a sudden become super sad? You feel like you are missing out, right? Well, you are. There are no two ways about it. FOMO absolutely sucks, I’ll give it that much. But, I am here to give you five reasons why FOMO is not just real, but can also be a positive in your life.

1. You have something in your life worth missing out on.

FOMO can hit a gal right in the gut every so often on an Instagram Sunday morning. But not to fret - chances are, if you were busy with something else meaningful that prevented you from making it (see #2), you have something in your life that is so mutually important, that it means the world to both you and whoever you’re missing. Whether it’s a concert all your friends go to or a sisterhood event that your entire sorority is present for except you, you are lucky enough to have these amazing people in your world who love you enough to shoot you a text later that day saying they wished you had been there and that they’re proud of you for what you’re missing that event for.

2. Whatever you are doing instead of what you’re feeling FOMO from is IMPORTANT.

*Caution* this is sometimes very, very hard to remember. For instance, if you have to miss things on the weekend for a sporting event that lasts both days, you feel alright until you are able to check social media. I might suggest to not check it. Who am I kidding, we can’t help ourselves. But just remember nothing is as fun as it seems to appear because on social media everything is prettified. We are all guilty of this.

3. You are able to get away when your friends are sick of being stuck in the same place.

Although it may suck at the time you are leaving, I guarantee your friends are jealous that you get a mini-vacation from the day-to-day life they are yearning to get a break from.

4. Distance makes the heart grow fonder.

Being able to get away makes your friends miss you, I promise!!!! And the ones who matter will let you know you are missed whether that is through little notes left on your door or snapchats exclaiming “when will you be back?!” You are always more loved than you think, don’t forget that.

5. The grass is always greener.

I promise, you always feel like you are missing more than you actually are. Yes, there are fun times and lessons being learned on both ends, but nothing is as pretty as it seems. Your friends are wonderful and are making adorable memories without you, but | guarantee they wish you were there. When you are forced to miss something that you might rather attend than what you have to attend, make the most of it. You are where you are, so you might as well take full advantage of this opportunity to immerse yourself in something that you can share with your friends upon arriving back to open arms.