The Art of Staying In
Image courtesy: pinterest
Let me bring you through a very familiar night in my life. I spend my whole day dreading plans I made to go out that night, but as always, I still plan to go. But, after dinner, I enter the danger zone., At this point, a little voice in my head presents the idea of not going out with my friends. There was a turning point during my freshman year when I was shaken by the realization that I didn’t have to go out every time my friends went out; It was more than okay for me to stay home. However, this realization started a recurring dilemma for me.
This is because the second I even consider staying in and reading my book or watching a movie, I cannot get it off my mind. That’s when the hyperfixation starts. I harass my poor boyfriend over text, asking whether or not I should go out. It doesn’t matter what he says; regardless of what I choose, it’s a lose-lose. So here are my usual options:
Go out and spend the whole night thinking about how relaxed I would be if I stayed in.
Stay in and spend the whole night thinking about what I’m missing out on by not going out.
Either way, I wasted my night thinking about the other option I didn’t choose. If any of you experience this or something similar, you know how exhausting it is to spend your whole night obsessing over a decision you did or did not make. The obvious solution to this dilemma is to commit to a choice, whichever one it may be. In my case, that is usually NOT going out. So, I slowly learned the art of staying in.
If you’re having trouble deciding on a night in or night out, I have one primary piece of advice for you. If the only reason you would go out is because of FOMO, don’t go out! Especially as a new college student or just someone trying to make friends, it’s easy to put a lot of pressure on nights out. I’m here to tell you it’s not that deep. I promise there will be plenty more nights to go out; save it for a day when you’re actually excited. If you’re still on the fence, flip a coin. If your heart sinks when it chooses for you, pick the other option; it is simple, your decision has already been made. Or, explain to a friend your options. If you subconsciously want them to tell you to stay in, for example, your decision is once again already made for you.
The most important aspect of this art form is to embrace your night in. Make it a self-care night! Have some tea, pick a rom-com, and settle in. Paint your nails! Make a Pinterest board. Watch some ghost-hunting YouTube videos. Maybe get yourself a sweet treat (I recommend Jeni’s Brambleberry Crisp). One of my go-to activities is to call my long-distance friends and family. I recommend staying away from Snapchat private stories for the night. Whatever you do, don’t let yourself feel guilty for staying in. And, most importantly, don’t spiral into thinking about your lost night out; just appreciate your lovely, cozy night in. Commit!
Strike Out,
Alex Keezer
Editor: Kennedy Moran
Athens