FOMO is Fear of Missing Out. My comments for DOLLY - an iconic Australian monthly teen magazine first published in 1970

1. DOLLYlife coach
DOLLYfeature
How to get G
How to get over your FOMO enevieve, 14, was trawling food for dinner, the girls had to join the iPhone 6?). But having social media at
Just like a
[sell] Just like a rip at the beach, through Facebook one Friday party by gathering leaves for a side dish. your fingertips can cause FOMO to go
rip at the b
your Fear Of Missing Out could be afternoon when something in her While this Flintstones-era Fear Of into overdrive. “You used to have to wait
each,
over your
dragging you down. Think of this
your Fear newsfeed caught her eye. “I noticed Missing Out prevented cave gals and until Monday at school to find out what
O
Out could f Missing
story as a super-hot lifesaver coming that a couple of my school friends guys starving to death, our modern-day you’d missed out on. Now you can check
to rescue you.
FOMO
be draggin had checked in at Cold Rock and FOMO revolves more around staying what people are doing constantly,” says
you down g uploaded pics of themselves alive on the social scene. “We want to Jocelyn. It’s info overload!
. Think of
article as a this laughing and eating ice-cream. feel included and connected as it harks With a flick of the wrist, you can see
super-hot Even though they’d asked me to back to an ancient drive,” says Jocelyn. which parties are pumping via Instagram
lifesaver c go and I’d said no because I had an and who’s checked in with who on FB.
oming
rescue you to When FOMO
assignment to do, I felt kinda upset Filters, photo-cropping and carefully
. seeing how much fun they were all
having without me. It was like I was goes too far
crafted updates mean you’re confronted
with a fab-ified version of everyone else’s
totally missing out,” she says. So, we all have it to a certain extent, lives 24/7, making yours seem a lot more
She’s not alone – according to but how can you tell when your FOMO’s Snoozeville. According to Jocelyn, this
a recent study*, 47% of teens feel getting more outta control than Ke$ha’s is how FOMO flares up. “If you’re not
uneasy when they learn through fashion sense? “You might find it hard to invited or can’t go for whatever reason,
social media that their friends be present in the conversations you’re in it can make you feel very alone and
are doing things that they’re not. or activities you’re doing as your mind is disconnected from your peer group.”
But this feeling’s not restricted constantly looking for something ‘cooler’
to cyberspace – it can strike
anywhere, anytime, from the
to do or someone more ‘popular’ to hang
out with,” explains Jocelyn. When this
now, How to
schoolyard to a party or even happens, your friendships can suffer. get over it
during your netty game. It’s called “You might seem agitated or distant and By looking around for something better,
FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and get the people you’re with offside when you’re probs missing out on the people
you’ve probs heard the term thrown you don’t really listen or connect.” and activities that are right in front of you.
around jokingly more than once. This happened to Abigail, 15, who was “Have more meaningful conversations
It may seem like just another cute on the receiving (or NON-receiving end) and really listen,” suggests Jocelyn. “The
acronym that’s soon to be misused of a friend with FOMO when they went to people who are genuine and interested
by Phil Dunphy on Modern Family a party together. “One second she was in their mates will be remembered.”
(who could forget “WTF, Why The dragging me to the balcony ’cos there Also, look out for signs of FOMO in
Face?”), but is there more to the were ‘better’ people out there, then she people you hang around and perhaps
FOMO phenom than meets the eye? wanted to be inside so we could talk to consider seeking out friendships less
We suss out what it REALLY is and some hot guys. The whole time I felt like concerned with being around the “it”
how it could be holding you back. she wasn’t listening to what I was saying crowd (whatever that means) and more
’cos she was too busy trying to keep up concerned with having fun. “Spend some
with what everyone else was doing. It time working out what you really value.
fomo schmomo really killed the night and made me
rethink our friendship,” she explains.
What kind of friendships and connections
do you want? What experiences do you
– What is it? The lesson? If you let your FOMO tend to enjoy?” says Jocelyn.
“FOMO is related to status anxiety,” take hold, you’ll most likely start acting If you really want to let go of your
explains psychologist Jocelyn Brewer like a Survivor contestant – desperate FOMO, you need to stop sitting on the
(jocelynbrewer.com). “It’s the sense for attention and craving Pizza Hut (well, sandy sidelines watching other peeps
Words Rebecca Sloan Photography will horner *TimeRazor, 2012
that there’s something bigger, better maybe not that second part) – and sooner surf the waves of life, and go and find
and more fun that we could be doing, rather than later, voted off the island. your own barrels to ride. “Rather than
and anxiety comes from the fact we’re “Being a social butterfly is one thing, looking to others for what’s ‘cool’, create
not being included.” but being desperate to be seen is an event or activity that you want to do,
Although it’s only recently been given another,” warns Jocelyn. and surround yourself with people who
a totes scientific name, apparently a want to be there with you,” says Jocelyn.
primitive form of FOMO was around in
the time BA (Before Acronyms). “If you
The Facebook “Have a themed picnic outdoors with
your friends or choose one of the many
think back to our ancient ancestors, effect explained different charities and do something to
some would have gone out hunting Once upon a time, phones were the size help your community,” she suggests.
while the others went gathering or stayed of bricks and all you did on them was Fear Of Missing Out revolves around
at home with the offspring,” says Jocelyn, talk, while a “tweet” was the sound a trying to climb a few rungs up the social
explaining that the need to be part of the bird made. Now our smartphones can do ladder, but when would you ever reach
group was essential for survival. So if the basically everything besides teleporting the top? Jump straight off and we bet
boys were out hunting down four-legged Harry Styles to your bedroom (maybe you’ll be a whole lot happier. Deadset.
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