How many of us vowed to be “outside” this summer? In the last two years, “outside culture” has emerged as a response to being confined to our houses during the pandemic, and it’s been the drive behind the surge of many of our favourite summer events.
Being “outside” isn’t just stepping out of your house or going to the supermarket. It’s going to events, fancy restaurants, day parties, festivals, clubs, bars and being seen. And while many millennial women like myself have come to actively pursue “outside culture” to reintroduce ourselves to society, I know from experience that a large part of that pursuit is driven by FOMO: the fear of missing out.
We see others “outside” on social media and feel a need to be a part of that excitement. And this FOMO-driven pull to the “outside” could harm our ability to make meaningful long-term relationships, both romantically and platonically.