FOMO: Commuter Edition
Posted October 9, 2017
I’m driving to campus, running a little late to class for the second time that week. I get to the red lots and book it to reach my 12 p.m. class on time. Music blares through a sound system in the Quad as I weave through dozens of students gathered for some sort of event for Homecoming. It seems half the student population is outside enjoying the September weather, taking turns jumping on a giant trampoline, chowing down on snow cones, getting free t-shirts and making new friends.
Cue my yearning for some fall college fun, but nope. Got to get to class.
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I arrived to class and take my seat just as the professor begins taking attendance. I notice the girls sitting in front of me in class talking about what sororities they were planning on trying to join. Behind me, a couple of guys are talking about the pregame rally before this Saturday’s soccer game at Korte.
My professor finally begins her lecture, and I start taking notes. But at the same time, I find myself a little upset. I’m not outside enjoying the party, thinking about joining some fun student organization or heading to the big soccer match this Saturday. I think, maybe, due to the fact that I have to drive to campus for class, I might be missing out on some of the fun that other college students are having.
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As it turns out, I was experiencing a phenomena known as FOMO. In 2013, the smart cookies at Oxford Dictionaries Online formally defined the feeling:
FOMO [noun]. Anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media. Origin: Early 21st century; abbreviation of fear of missing out.
Commuting students, like myself, have become all too familiar with this phrase. Because a lot of our time is spent off-campus, we find it a bit more difficult to become “engrossed with the university experience” like a resident student would be.
On several occasions, I found myself a bit jealous of my peers who had the opportunity to “eat, sleep and breathe” college life. Their social media feeds were stuffed to the brim with spontaneous photos and hilarious videos that made me wonder, “Am I missing out on the college experience I should be having?”
You might be, but fear not, my friends! There are several ways to combat FOMO as a commuting student. If you’re willing to put in the slight amount of effort, you can kick FOMO to the curb and enjoy life on campus (while living off-campus) at SIUE.
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Check your SIUE email
- Each week, the Kimmel Student Involvement Center sends out a special “Places to be at the E” email to every student outlining some of the events happening on and off campus. This is a great starting point for identifying places to make friends and try new things. Various departments and other organizations send out newsletters with similar goals. Login to your SIUE email to keep up with what’s going on around campus.
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View the SIUE Calendar of Events
- Thanks to the nifty calendar of events on the SIUE website, every day is the perfect date. The calendar makes it extremely easy to find out what events are happening on campus, as well as when and where they will occur. You can search the calendar by categories, such as athletic events, fine arts performances, fitness classes, study groups and tutoring sessions, research presentations, and even career fairs.
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Join a student organization
- From fraternities and sororities, Ad Club, a club for jugglers or Dungeons and Dragons players, there is a student organization for anyone at SIUE. Whether you want to try out a new hobby, share your talents with others, or dance the night away for a good cause, organizations are great ways to get on campus and make new friends. You can find a list of over 250 active student organizations to join.
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Join an intramural or club sports team
- Are you a casual athlete who just wants to form a small league with your friends? You should create an intramural team! All current students have the opportunity to join SIUE Student Fitness Center recreational teams for a plethora of sports, including volleyball, basketball, flag football, softball, soccer and more.
- SIUE Club Sports provide more competitive opportunities for students on campus and beyond. From cheerleading to bass fishing, from martial arts to Quidditch (10 points to Gryffindor!), students can join a variety of club sports teams and travel around the country to compete against other schools.
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Attend a sporting event
- Did you know SIUE students get free admission to all sporting events held on campus when you present your student ID? That’s right—you can get in to EVERY sporting event on campus for FREE! Some of our sports teams also host special theme nights where they give away even more free things, like rally towels, water bottles and t-shirts just for coming out to support the SIUE Cougars.
Of course, everyone’s college experience is unique and each SIUE student’s priorities are different. Some students have families, jobs and other responsibilities that come first—and that’s okay! One of the greatest things about college is that it gives you the opportunity to try new things. Give one of these suggestions a shot. See your FOMO disappear. Enjoy your time on campus at SIUE.
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By: Madelaine Gerard, master’s candidate, media studies