Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO): anxiety that an exciting event may be taking place somewhere that you’re not. Whether it’s missing out on a dinner with friends, not being able to go to the party of the year, or simply just missing a fun night out with the girls, we all have a little “FOMO” in our own ways. Why should fear of missing out keep us from doing something that may be important to us, or in my case, keep me from working toward my future career?

No one should feel guilty for staying in every once in a while on the occasional Friday or Saturday night in college. But guess what? We all do. As much as I love to preach about this, I too am guilty of it. It took me a while to realize that you don't have to attend everything you’re invited to. In fact, sometimes you just can’t. Whether it’s because of of school, family, or just wanting a relaxing night, it’s okay to miss out.

After all, we all came to college for school, right? Sometimes school takes over our lives. I’ll be the first one to let everyone know, not all of your friends will understand that right away. Eventually they will, especially once they realize the amount of time you’re putting in toward school and see the stress that you’re going through. People have to realize that not all majors require the same amount of work; some are just more demanding than others. No one should make you feel bad for having to stay in and study for something that will one day be your career.

You shouldn’t feel bad for missing out because sometimes we all just want to stay in and snuggle up with our dog, boyfriend, glass of wine, etc. Sometimes, movie nights sound better than a night out partying, and again, that's okay. People think college means drinking every weekend, but it really doesn't have to be that way for everyone all of the time. As I’ve grown older and advanced more into my major in college, I’ve learned to appreciate quiet nights staying in every once in awhile. Nights in aren’t always a bad thing, even if it means having FOMO.

Choosing not to go out doesn't mean you’re lame. Sometimes, it means you have important priorities (like tests to study for), maybe you’ve had a long week, maybe you work and support yourself in college, maybe you’re sick of the same party scenes, maybe you miss your family, maybe your friend had a bad day and wants someone to stay in with her, maybe you’re sick, or maybe you just miss doing nothing for a night.

Don’t let the Fear Of Missing Out, or peer pressure from your friends, keep you from achieving your goals. After all, it’s your life and you live your life for you.