Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a phobia of missing important experiences or decisions that could change your life, and it’s particularly well known to Generation Z. While FOMO affects all generations, Gen Z seems to be experiencing the worst of it, including making poor financial decisions.
Growing up in a world of influencers and social media, where trends shift faster than we can blink, my generation is doing everything it can to stay relevant. Have I fallen victim to FOMO? Absolutely.
As a member of Gen Z, I can confidently say we are materialistic and easily influenced. We want everything that’s new and “in.” First, we had Hydro Flasks, then Stanleys, and now it’s Owala bottles. In terms of shoes, we went from Air Force 1s to Doc Martens, Uggs, and Adidas Sambas, just to name a few. And don’t even get me started on makeup trends.
Even TikTok trends caused many people to flock to Crumbl Cookies. Not only are we influenced to buy these cookies, but we’re drawn in further with new flavors every week. How could we miss out?
With our constant activity on social media, we’re part of the reason trends move so quickly from being “trending” to being “so last week.”
According to a 2023 Statista survey, Gen Z made up 60% of all shoppers who discovered new products or brands through social media. Additionally, 45% of Gen Z shoppers found products through influencers, and 32% actually made a purchase. This means that at least half of the products Gen Z comes across in daily life are bought.
This generation also strives to be outspoken, creative, different, and quirky. We all want to be part of something, to feel included. This often leads us to seek out the next big trend because it connects us with the rest of our generation.
We ditched skinny jeans and brought back baggy jeans, went from high-rise to low-rise styles (though some millennials argue it’s not quite low-rise). Barrel jeans made their appearance as well. Then bows became a trend—girls started putting bows on everything, creating the coquette aesthetic, another fashion trend.
Not only did clothing items, accessories, and foods fall victim to FOMO, but bestselling books did too. When a popular book hits social media, it’s all over TikTok and Instagram. Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us is a prime example. The book went viral, and they made a movie—controversial, but Gen Z still turned up for the drama.
Another instance where FOMO was palpable was during the infamous rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. While controversial, the consensus was that Kendrick won, gaining 1.32 million followers and 8.81 million monthly listeners. One of his diss tracks aimed at Drake is now his most-streamed song on Spotify with over 800 million listens.
Sabrina Carpenter is another artist being heavily streamed. Many may not know her early career from Girl Meets World and other Disney Channel appearances, but she’s now one of the biggest rising pop stars, despite being in the industry since 2013. Carpenter’s breakthrough came when she opened for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, earning a massive following. As a seasoned fan, I know many of those talking about her now weren’t fans before. The battle for tickets to Carpenter’s tour became a trending topic on TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), pitting longtime fans against newcomers drawn in by her hits “Feather” and “Espresso.”
While Gen Z may be the most influenced generation, and FOMO drives us toward materialistic goods and experiences, our goal is to feel included. However, we should be mindful that we are likely fueling consumerism by rapidly cycling trends in and out.
Gen Z craves authenticity, yet we also want to be part of something meaningful, to have friends—whether online or in person. As a result, we turn to the internet, making decisions that aren’t always financially sound, following the latest drama, and discovering new artists who become wildly popular.
One thing Gen Z agrees on? We won’t raise our children as “iPad kids.” With our online literacy, at least we grew up without them.
