Your Friends Are on Campus and You Are Doing IITM BS: Handling FOMO

Missing campus life is a real loss, and it is fine to feel it when your friends post from hostels and fests. But you are far from alone. IIT Madras's September 2025 Program Report counts about 9,200 active Data Science students who do the BS as their only degree. And there are more ways to build a student life around this degree than it first seems.

The trick is to replace what a campus gives you by default with things you choose on purpose.

What you really do miss

Be honest with yourself about this part:

• Daily classmates and a hostel. Lectures are recorded, and there is no residence.
• Campus facilities. The DS FAQ says enrolled learners do not get access to IIT Madras campus facilities.
• Structure by default. Nobody takes attendance. Your timetable is yours to make.

If you picked the standalone route, you are in a minority. At the Foundation level, the report lists 5,611 standalone students against 12,337 doing another degree at a college. The trade-offs are covered in standalone or alongside college.

What you can build instead

Read more in Paradox, the BS students' fest and campus access for BS students. For internships, see internships for IITM BS students.

Give your days a college-like structure

This is practical advice, not an official rule. The DS academics page expects about 10 hours a week per foundation course. Two courses is about 20 hours a week, or a little over 3 hours a day across six days.

1. Fix a start time. Treat 9 am, or whatever suits you, like a first lecture. Same time every weekday.
2. Put all deadlines on one calendar. Weekly assignments, quiz dates and the end term, for every course.
3. Study with people once a week. A small group of classmates, online or in person, replaces the lab partner you do not have.
4. Leave the house daily. A library, a walk, a sport. Campus life is partly just being around people.
5. Add one real-world thing per level. A project, a part-time internship, a competition or a society role.
6. Keep one day free. Your college friends get weekends. So should you.

When the comparison hurts

• Your timeline is not behind theirs. A BS certificate needs at least 12 terms, about 4 years, from your first term. That is the length of a BTech.
• You are building a different kind of record. Self-directed study, internships and projects are visible things to show later.
• Talk about it. Tell a friend or family member how you feel. If the low mood lasts for weeks, speak to a counsellor or doctor. It is a sign to get support, not a sign of weakness.

For longer slumps, our guide on staying motivated has more ideas.

Common questions

Can I visit the IIT Madras campus as a BS student?

Not for general use of facilities, according to the DS FAQ. You come to campus for specific reasons, such as Paradox, ES labs, or campus courses once you are eligible.

Is it a mistake to do the BS standalone?

Not by itself, but it needs a plan. The handbook itself suggests that standalone students who joined after Class 12 take GATE and join a college for their masters. That route brings a full campus experience later.

How do I find study partners?

Start with the course discussion spaces and your house or society. The DS FAQ says IIT Madras has not created official WhatsApp or Telegram groups, so treat student-run groups as unofficial and never share login details there.

Will I miss out on placements that my college friends get?

Your friends' colleges run their own placements. The IITM BS placement cell supports internships after one diploma and jobs after a BSc, and many students find work on their own. Internships during the degree help close the gap.