Overcoming the FOMO on Penn State fun while Abroad | Columnists Abroad

“This is going to be the best time in your life.”

That’s what virtually every adult said to me before I left for my semester abroad. Family members, friends, the local pharmacist, my favorite bank teller and the American Airlines employee who let me fly with my slightly overweight luggage all reminded me to enjoy the time abroad because it’s the “best” I’ll ever have.

It’s true that being able to live in London for about three months is amazing, but I know that I would be having different kinds of fun in State College.

I’ve woken up to Instagram posts about tailgates for the past few Sundays, and I bitterly double-tapped each one of them. Watching college football every Saturday has always been a tradition in my family, and not being on campus to cheer on the Nittany Lions with my friends is making me so jealous.

My heart reserves a particular envy for those Sunday morning scrolls, but sometimes I worry I may be missing out on other fun experiences with organizations, meals with my friends and academic opportunities because I’m not physically in State College. My fear of missing out (FOMO) is real.

It can be tough to come to terms with the fact that the remarkable opportunity to study abroad requires me to make concessions to my American college experience.

I’ve realized, though, that if I were on campus this semester, I would be missing out on all of the memories I’m making right now. Life really is just the choices we make, and I’m happy to be living mine more uniquely.

In the same way, I’m not in State College right now, my peers who are at tailgates aren’t in London. They’re not singing along at Lewis Capaldi’s comeback tour, watching new movies at the Electric Cinema and going for morning runs in Westminster. But I am. I’m experiencing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities because I’m abroad right now.

Alli fomo 2 — Alli at Lewis Capaldi’s concert at the O2 Arena in London.

Courtesy of Alli Satterfield

Alli at Lewis Capaldi’s concert at the O2 Arena in London.

Courtesy of Alli Satterfield

I’m curing my FOMO by embracing this gratitude. Even though I’m not in Happy Valley, I am happy. I’m happy to be exploring a new city, meeting new people and eating new foods, and I’m so thankful I have this opportunity.

It’s a waste of my time and my energy to be jealous of experiences I could’ve had. I chose to go abroad and, with that, I chose personal growth. This is my time to embrace the new and unexpected – jealousy about what could’ve been really undercuts that mission. This semester abroad may not be the best time in my life, like all the adults told me, but it is a time in my life that I should be enjoying.

Also, it’s frankly none of my business what my State College peers are up to this semester. Since I’m not there, their social activities really don’t concern me.

This isn’t to say I don’t care about the lives of the people I care about (trust me, I really do), but I have no involvement in their plans for the time being, so I shouldn’t be worrying about it.

It gives me peace of mind to remember that they chose their opportunities, and I’m choosing mine. While that doesn’t always remove the angst from my Instagram scrolling habits, I’m happy with the choices I’ve made, and I’m so grateful to be studying abroad this semester.

My life is more fun without the FOMO.

MORE ABROAD COLUMNS