The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is something that graduate students have to make peace with. I believe this is especially true here at the Bush School, where we have a number of classes to choose from and that results in our schedules frequently differing from those of our friends. As a result, your group may be going out to celebrate the completion of a really tough exam, but you still have a paper to complete and cannot join them.
This is where I really felt my maturity kick in. Back in undergrad, I may have decided to go out anyway and let my grades take the hit. But in graduate school, I have felt more responsible for my growth, and I realize the damage that negligence can have on my grade. Ultimately, you get out what you put in, so be ready to make sacrifices and don’t give in to FOMO.