Safety Tips and Fighting FOMO

October 26, 2022

Submitted By: Olivia Gilbert

It's easy to forget to be safe when you're out having a good time with friends, here are some safety tips to remember

- Use the buddy system. Also have somebody with you when out in strange places.

- Keep an eye on your drink. Pour your own drinks. Never leave your food or drink unattended.

- Carry the essentials. If you're going out, be sure to have a fully charged phone,

your ID, keys, and any cash or credit cards. Keep them in a safe place.

- Be aware of your surroundings!!!!

- Stick with your friends (and remember that a true friend will never intentionally put you at risk).

- Don't let people you don't know into your residence hall.

- Listen to your gut! If a person or situation is making you uncomfortable, don't be afraid to remove yourself from the situation.

- Tell someone where you’re going. Share your location with someone you trust.

- Remember your University resources: Save Public Safety’s emergency number (860-768-7777) to your phone and download the LiveSafe App. You should also learn the locations of the blue light emergency phones on campus.

FOMO (The Fear Of Missing Out) refers to the feeling of anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere.

-Do a social media detox, a study in 2018 shows that limiting social media use by as little as 30 minutes a day led to significantly lower levels of loneliness and depression.

-Use the screen time limits that are likely already available on your phone!

-Try to turn FOMO to JOMO! The joy of missing out. Find the joy in the present.

-Social media is edited and filtered, it's not real!

-Use gratitude to combat FOMO- use social media as a tool to improve the relationships that are important to you by sharing photos with family and friends and maintaining connections.

-Designate a phone free time for yourself every day- set a timer to remind you to put your phone away for a period of time so you can really focus on the here and now. Try implementing this rule with your friends at your next gathering too!