FOMO or JOMO?: Weird middle ground during Festive Season when you are away from home.

As the festive lights begin to twinkle and social media fills up with reels of family gatherings, sweets, and celebrations, many people, especially those away from home start to feel a quiet ache. Festivals are supposed to feel warm and joyful. But if you’re living away from home, studying, working, or just figuring life out in a new place, this time of year can bring up a strange emotional mix.

One minute you’re fine. Next, you’re scrolling past photos of people in their family homes, eating festive food, surrounded by cousins, lights, rituals. And you’re sitting in your room somewhere else, figuring out what to eat for dinner, and wondering if you should bother decorating at all.

Let’s talk about FOMO first.

You might not even realize it’s happening. Festivals away from home can feel more isolating than usual. It’s okay if this season doesn’t feel as “happy” as it looks on your feed. You might feel the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), but not the regular kind. It’s not about missing a party. It’s the fear of missing belonging. The kind of comfort and connection that festivals usually bring. It’s not about missing a party, it’s about missing your people, your home, your version of tradition.

And hey, you’re allowed to feel all of that. You don’t need to rationalize it or brush it off with “I’m too old for this” or “It’s just another day.” It’s not just another day. It means something, and missing it is human.

But then there’s JOMO, and it’s not all bad.

The joy of missing out isn’t just a trend or a caption. Sometimes, being away does give you space.

You’re not caught in endless errands, noisy houses, or being asked about your career plans at every family gathering. You’re not forced to wear clothes you hate, sit through awkward small talk, or explain your life to people you barely know. Maybe, quietly, there’s relief. Maybe this year, you get to do things differently. You could spend the day doing what you actually enjoy, sleeping in, calling just the people you love, watching movies, making a small meal that brings comfort. 

That’s JOMO too. And it doesn’t make you cold or detached, it just means you’re honoring what you need right now.

How do you balance both?

Because most people don’t feel just one or the other. It’s not always “I’m so sad” or “I’m so free.” Often, it’s both. You might miss home and still be glad you’re not stuck in traffic for last-minute shopping. You might cry after a call with your parents and then feel peaceful lighting a candle on your own. You might scroll past stories and feel both envy and relief that you don’t have to be part of it.

That doesn’t make you confused. It makes you real.

A few helpful reminders if you're feeling stuck in the middle:

• Your feelings are allowed to be complicated. Missing home doesn’t mean you don’t love where you are. Enjoying solitude doesn’t mean you’ve become heartless.

• You can create new meaning, even in small ways. Order your favorite food. Start your own tiny ritual. Have a video call with a friend who also isn’t celebrating. Or just treat the day like any other. There’s no wrong way to exist during a festival.

• You don’t have to choose a side. You don’t have to force cheerfulness or over-celebrate independence. You can just be, somewhere between longing and contentment.

To wrap up...

Being away from home during festivals is not easy. And this whole FOMO vs JOMO thing isn’t a competition. Most of us are just navigating both.

If this resonates with you and you're navigating this season feeling a little in-between, you don't have to do it alone. At The TherapySphere, we create space for real, messy, human emotions, especially the ones that don’t fit into a festive caption.