FOMO? YOLO!
I was walking in the park one lazy afternoon when I heard a mother shout, “Marco!” A chorus of juvenile voices yelled back from the village pool, “Polo!” It’s a cliché, but just as amusing as when my cousins and I used to play Marco Polo.
Nowadays, I hear YOLO and FOMO more often, especially among restive millennials and Gen Zs.
Forget engagements, bridal showers, and a house in suburbia with a manicured lawn or a condo in BGC. Descendants of Gen Xers (a term I prefer over “Slacker Generation”) will more likely chase sunsets in Machu Picchu or sip a glass of limoncello while lounging along the Amalfi Coast than invest in such trivial things as their own home or a Cinderella wedding. Even my daughter chose a trip to Spain instead of a grand coming-of-age party; and I praised her for her astuteness.
Then the pandemic happened and most folks were confined in cramped rooms or dwellings. For more than 90% of the people in the world, everything stood still, like a comatose patient in a K-drama. When it came back to life, young (vaccinated) individuals who had the means geared up for “revenge travel” to make up for lost time, as if working from home wasn’t vacation enough.
But that’s just the beginning. The latest buzzwords include “FOMOconomy,” “Treat Yo’ Self Travel,” and “Adventure Tax”—all part of a broader cultural shift that places experiences over security, and wanderlust over traditional pursuits.
First, let’s address that head-scratching from the “tanders” who hear this FOMO-YOLO game without understanding it.
FOMO or “Fear of Missing Out”—is a term that originated in the early 2000s. It was coined by marketing strategist Dr. Dan Herman in a 2000 research paper, where he described it as a pervasive apprehension that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent.
The term gained significant traction with the rise of social media in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (later rebranded simply as X) allowed people to share real-time updates of their lives, leading to increased awareness of what others were doing and, consequently, heightened feelings of FOMO. This insatiable desire to keep up inevitably resulted in anxiety and insecurity, remedied only by spontaneous trips here and abroad and impulsive purchases of non-essentials.
As social media became more ingrained in daily life, the “FOMOconomy” thrived on this culture of instant gratification, where the fear of missing out on experiences outweighs concerns about long-term financial security.
Older generation can probably relate more to “YOLO” or “You Only Live Once,” for it is simply the modern-day equivalent of the Latin phrase “carpe diem” (seize the day), which was popularized by the Roman poet Horace. Both terms mirror the sentiment of living life to the fullest, but YOLO gained prominence after the release of Drake’s 2011 song, The Motto, where he rapped, “You only live once, that’s the motto, *****, YOLO.”
Now that that’s clear, let’s move on to a place where burnout is practically a rite of passage. In this world, “Treat Yo’ Self Travel” is the antidote. This expression, which has surged in popularity post-pandemic, refers to the unapologetic splurging on high-end travel experiences. It’s a philosophy rooted in self-care, where the rationale is simple though hardly original: work hard, play harder. Rather than socking away cash for a future that seems increasingly unpredictable, millennials and Gen Zs are choosing to indulge in the present. Luxury resorts, Michelin-star meals, extravagant excursions—“I deserve this” is the mantra that justifies them all.
But like all good things in life, not all that glitters is gold, and here’s where “Adventure Tax” comes into play. This term captures the hidden costs of prioritizing travel over traditional life goals. It’s the financial equivalent of a hangover after a night of indulgence. While your Instagram feed might be bursting with envy-inducing photos from your latest escapade watching the northern lights from your Icelandic lodge on Álftavatn (Swan) Lake, or high up in the canopy of a huge and ancient baobab tree in Tanzania, reality sets in once you’re confronted with dwindling (or negative) savings, credit card debts, and a car at risk of being repossessed by the bank. For many, this tradeoff is worth it, a calculated risk in favor of living life to the fullest, even if it means paying a little “tax” on the other side.
For those who do find themselves entangled in romance, traditional expectations are being upended. Take the “Solomoon,” for instance, an emerging trend (though not yet in the Philippines, as far as I know) where newlyweds opt to honeymoon separately, exploring individual interests rather than compromising on a shared destination. It’s emblematic of the broader shift toward independence and self-fulfillment, even within committed relationships. And forget about having children. There are places to see, things to experience, exotic food to try. Kids are just unwanted baggage that drastically spoils the fun. Cats are much better.
Then there’s the allure of “Flexperiences,” a portmanteau that blends flexibility with experiences. Unlike their parents, who meticulously planned their vacations months in advance, millennials and Gen Zs crave spontaneity—which is every caring parent’s nightmare. They’re drawn to travel experiences that can be customized on the fly, whether it’s last-minute changes in the itinerary or deciding to extend a stay because they’ve fallen in love with a place, or with someone in that place. À Paris, l’amour est dans l’air pour tout le monde. (In Paris, love is in the air for everyone). Flexperiences are all about keeping options open, embracing the unknown, and, yes, spending a bit more to make sure every moment counts.
As the world emerged from the shadow of the pandemic—and keeping in mind that another one could just be around the corner—the desire to explore has never been stronger. But with it comes a new set of buzzwords that reflect the complex relationship millennials and Gen Zs have with travel, finances, and traditional life milestones. For these generations, the world is too big to stay put, and life’s too short to wait. So, they travel now, worry (and sometimes, pay) later, and embrace the journey, wherever it may lead.
And who can blame them? After all, YOLO.