Disclaimer - There is nothing wrong about going out. Most of the time, that is. When else in our lives are we going to have the option of
going out every weekend (and some weekdays) with thousands of people our age?
As
a whole, going out is generally a positive, cathartic experience in which you
shed your layers of stress accumulated during the school week and replace it with
strong drinks and loud music with the people you love (or strangers). From blasting
music in your room and getting ready for the night with your friends, to the
moment you return home in the middle of the night with sore feet and cold yummies to stuff your mouth with, going out
can alleviate your worries and bond you with your friends.
But, not all nights
end that pleasantly, and sometimes, you’re just tired. Sometimes you want to spend
your night doing something more productive. Sometimes, you just want a calm,
relaxed night. But it’s also hard to resist the pressure to go out because the
temptation is so prominent - especially living in a sorority house where there
are planned parties three nights a week that all of your friends are going to. Obviously,
we’re all responsible enough to stay in when we know we have homework and
studying to do, but sometimes your plate is clear and you would still rather
stay in. While many of us have adequate will power that will allow you to
remain loyal to your original plan, sometimes we still fall prey to FOMO. For me,
I know that I don’t feel the temptation to go out until the clock hits 9pm and
everyone starts getting ready. It’s the decision that you make in that hour
that changes everything.
If you know that you don’t really want to go out but know that you could be convinced otherwise, here’s
what you do to stay strong:
1.
For girls – take off all of your makeup.
This is a killer for me. I’m not about to go out for the
night without at least a little something on, but I’m especially not going to
waste product and re-apply just for a couple hours out. MAC doesn't grow on trees.
2.
For everyone else – start doing laundry
There’s nothing I hate more than doing laundry (except
putting away the clean clothes when you’re done), but it turns out that those 45-minute cycles are good for something after all. If you’re a good person, you’re
not going to just let your laundry sit in the machine for hours when someone
else could be using it. You have to finish what you started, so it looks like
there’s no going out tonight for you. The trick is to start late in the
evening.
3.
Call yo momma.
Your mother loves you. Your mother would want you to stay in. Don’t you love your mother?
4. Get out of the house.
Go to the Commons. See your friends outside of the house. Go to a movie. Get some Chipotle. That way, you still get to have a social life without feeling pressured to pursue a night on the town with everyone else. And when you do return home, time it so that everyone else has already left. Tada, you have the house to yourself.
5. Put on a movie
Movies are long. Movies are important. I could never start
watching a movie and pause it half-way through. So put on something that you
know is going to grab your attention and put in your headphones so that you can’t
hear the bustle of everyone else preparing for their night out. FOMO gone.
6.
Go for a run/do yoga
Yay productivity! If fitness is your thing, or if that Chipotle
from step four really got to you, working out is a perfect distraction from
the more mischievous night activities.
7.
Eat something yummy.
By this, I mean have a full out picnic in your bed. All for you. No sharing. Why would you ever want to leave when everything you could ever want is right in front of you?
