Fear of missing out (FOMO) is the feeling of being scared to be an outsider in situations. Self esteem is one of the factors that gets heavily impacted first by FOMO especially when the person is a teenager.
Students at Fear Miami High are especially vulnerable to this fear. Sophomore Mia Garcia said, “Fear of missing out affected me by making me feel completely alone and not enough if my friends didn’t invite me to their hangouts.”
Junior Andrew Harrison states, “I never felt my self esteem more low than when I was desperate to be included in everything. My confidence took a huge hit, and at the end I just felt worse than before.”
For many students, FOMO is not only present in their social lives but also in their routines and responsibilities. Sophomore Maya Rodiles shared, “I didn’t want to lose time with my friends so I would skip doing my homework just to be with them instead.” Over time these choices pile up, making students anxious and unprepared to have a healthy balance between responsibilities and desires.
One of the biggest challenges for teenagers is learning how to handle FOMO while staying focused on their academics. Fortunately, some students have developed healthy coping mechanisms to deal with this stress. According to the article title “The Psychology of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO)” posted on the website HelpGuide.org, “The first step to coping with FOMO involves some self-exploration. You’ll want to consider what is driving your fear of missing out, what is consuming your attention, and area you’d rather focus on.” Acknowledging the issue of what is causing this fear is useful for students to be able to move forward and stay grounded with school.
But what if you are left out? How do you deal with that? Christian Herrera, a sophomore at Miami High, said, “If your friends are leaving you out, then you don’t have to deal with them. Surround yourself with people who genuinely care and respect you. You only live once so choose people who have your best interests in mind.”
Many are aware of FOMO since it has been going up in relevance. According to the article “Exploring the lived experience and coping strategies of Fear of Missing Out” posted on the website for Link.springer.com, “The fear of missing out (FOMO) phenomenon has became increasingly prevalent in the 21st century, fueled by the rise of social media.”
This is concerning since many students go through this everyday especially in the 4 years of high school. Junior Germayoni Herrera thinks that schools should take this more seriously and even start mentioning FOMO at school orientations. Sophomore Grace Castillo thinks instead that parents should inform their kids about FOMO and not schools.
Nothing can shift your mood faster than scrolling on social media and seeing your friends or others having fun while you are doing nothing at home. Many teens struggle with thinking they are not good enough compared to others. In an article titled “Comparing Yourself to Others May Make You Worse Off” and posted on the website of neuro.wharton.upenn.edu Rebecca Jiang states, “Social comparison has shown to be a major influence on an individual’s perception of his or her own well being.” Adolescents put their own self value lower when experiencing FOMO, which is extremely unhealthy and lowers motivation in students’ life.
Everyone needs advice ,especially someone who just entered high school. Junior Andrew Harrison said, “I get it, being a freshman at first is scary. You were the oldest in middle school and suddenly you are back to being underdogs. Do not mess up your routine and responsibilities for temporary pleasure. FOMO can start distracting you from academics because not wanting to be left can cause your GPA to be low. Your academics are much more important than you think.”
Sophomore Dana Flores recommended, “Focus in school because freshman year is important to start building up your GPA.”
Overcoming FOMO is a big step towards achieving a more comfortable environment for students. Many students have developed some of their own tactics to cope with this challenging feeling. A freshman named Leah Martinez shared an experience where her friends in 6th grade pressured her to date a guy. She now follows what she believes in and doesn’t let anyone pressure her and will put clear boundaries to not do that.
Having the habit of worrying about exclusion is hard to break but not impossible. If you as a student are feeling anxious about this, try to tell someone. A trustworthy person would be Ms. Luberto, the TRUST Counselor in Miami high. Don’t let these feelings conquer your happiness. Just know you are not the only one struggling, and in school there is a place for everyone.
4 facts about FOMO
- Anyone can experience FOMO, but it is the most common among teens and young adults.
- FOMO is common in today’s digital world. Where we constantly see what others are doing online.
- FOMO distracts us from daily tasks.
- Taking breaks from social media/ comparing yourself to others helps you enjoy your own experiences more.
