By Daniel Johnson

 

Dealing with #FOMO

 

The social life thing can be hard at SCA. 

 

With the intensity of it all, the mere thought of getting up on a weekend can be hard.

 

Worse yet, some of us live far away or don’t have much money, or less time because we have to work. #FML

 

Sometimes it’s just that you have a particular personality, one that gets excited at the prospect of a weekend solitary confinement.

 

I know I probably fall into all of the above at one time or another.

 

But here’s the thing. Loving, needing and craving your own space is not a reason for a self-imposed emotional isolation.

 

It’s really too easy to isolate yourself at SCA.

 

I would know, I did so really successfully last year. 

 

It was above all, my biggest regret. 

 

If you project that lesson forward over a lifetime, will my biggest regret be over my social bounds rather than the things did or did not achieve?

 

Perhaps that’s quite a profound life lesson #Woke

 

And yet, despite my best efforts, I can’t help but feel that I’m drifting off to the edges again, despite knowing quite objectively that I have done better and tried harder socially this year.

 

I don’t know why but this drifting feeling has crept up at the same time in the year too. 

 

Maybe it’s some kind of Christmas curse or impending doom as my 27th approaches.

 

One things for certain, today’s #FOMO has been brought on by my beloved Instagram stories. 

 

Ohhhh man that looks fun, cool, interesting, etc as I gaze into my screen like a dribbling zombie. 

 

What’s supposed to be a brief respite from slinging overpriced beer to Tottenham fans, has become an emotional kick in the #feels.

 

In the #presence of #thousands of people feeling #disconnected. 

 

How fucked.

 

But as I watched over other peoples stories I realised that I can only feel FOMO if I’m dissatisfied, If I’ve yet to scratch my own social itch.

 

From this perspective, If I see a story and feel something missing, isn’t this a good thing? 

 

Should the proper reaction be to recall my own social successes or to think about what I want to do next weekend and with whom? 

 

Can I use #FOMO as a mirror? 

 

To show me that between SCA, my 2.5 jobs and PS4 I’ve not allotted enough time to connect?