My phone and I
Imagine this: It’s a typical Friday evening and you find yourself nestled in your bed with your eyes glued to your phone. You’ve been scrolling through Instagram for what feels like forever. The order goes something like this: stories, feed, stories, explore section, stories and then back to the feed. Every three minutes, like clockwork, you refresh your feed in the hope of something new.
The sound of notification alerts your senses, making you check your phone with lightning speed. Of course, you don’t want to miss anything. You worry that your online presence isn’t quite up to par like your new friends. The thought of not having cool content to share on Instagram every week fills you with a creeping sense of dread. And when your friends discuss their outfits for the upcoming Zombie Toga party, you stand there feeling utterly lost. It’s a classic case of FOMO, fear of missing out, casting its shadow over your evening like a dark cloud.
What is FOMO?
FOMO is a two-decade-old phenomenon acronymized by a Harvard MBA, Patrick J McGinnis, in 2022, and it has been buzzing around the digital world. It’s that nagging feeling that if you’re not glued to your screen 24/7, you might miss out on the next big thing.
Joyous comfort
Now picture this: It’s Friday evening and the air is alive with excitement as your friends are painting a picture for you of how epic the party was last night on your group chat. Amidst the chatter, you find yourself oddly at peace listening to them. While they reminisce about the Y2K Party’s neon lights and loud music, you sit back, content with your decision to stay back home and tackle your week 1 readings. It’s a moment of pure JOMO, the joy of missing out.
On the flip side
We have JOMO, an antonym to FOMO, which means you prefer to deliberately risk missing a party that could be the greatest of all time. Because [to be honest] you truly don’t care and rather stay home. JOMO is the superhero of digital detox. Coined in 2012 by the American blogger and tech entrepreneur Anil Dash, who briefly switched off his devices and went offline after the birth of his son.
And now that you have labeled yourself in a category, FOMO or JOMO, let me tell you more- we all have experienced the both.
The sting that makes us do everything
Before social media, people would hang out with one another and we wouldn’t know. Now we know every time we are not included– and that can sting. I want to be as relaxed as my friend who went for Yoga and Wine claims to be. I want to be as active as my friend who went to Pilates on Tuesday at 8 am. I want to be as social as my friend who went for Double Happy Hour at the Roundhouse with her classmates after class. The list and life goes on…
For all my introverted friends, who feel delighted in canceling plans, putting on those sweatpants, and indulging in some solo time, you’re experiencing the essence of JOMO. It’s not specifically about feeling joy all the time, so much as being in the present moment and being grateful.
Life hack: Balance
Now, don’t think you can't fit into both categories because you can! Too much of anything can be bad, right? What we are looking for is BALANCE. Arcs has 300+ clubs and societies but you won’t be joining them all in the fear of missing out; you will join clubs that interest you. Balance your needs and your interests.
FOMO, although addictive, is not entirely negative. It will motivate you to get out of your comfort zone and be involved in an activity where you get to meet new people and gain experience. JOMO, although peaceful-sounding, can also lead to feelings of loneliness. Sometimes you want to get out of those sweatpants and paint the world any color you like. You don’t want to get too comfortable with one idea.
Which of these two is calling the shots in your life? Are you skipping lectures because you’re in blissful JOMO mode or are you letting FOMO drag you to every party in town?
