Missing Out
I used to struggle with FOMO, but over time it has gotten better. The more secure I became in my friendships and in myself, the less I felt like I needed to always be involved with everything. Yet, not being able to get concert tickets somehow sent me all the way back to middle school. All I could imagine was how much fun people were having without me. Who wouldn’t want to be at The Era’s Tour? A three-hour performance of all of Taylor’s hit songs, it’s not just a concert but a production. Even picking an outfit or making a friendship bracelet seems like an exciting rite of passage for the experience – an experience I won’t be able to attend. In this instance, I would be missing out on something so big, it was only natural to feel sad about it. Usually, FOMO is irrational, but for me, this fear of not being able to go to The Era’s Tour was a heart-sinking feeling. It was sadness mixed with a little bit of envy, which were two emotions that I didn’t want to feel.
High Hopes and Big Disappointment
I distinctly remember when Taylor Swift announced the Canadian leg of her Era’s Tour. There was excitement buzzing through my household, and I wanted those tickets so badly. It was moments of anticipation while simultaneously forcing everyone in my household to create Ticketmaster accounts in hope of getting a presale code. I thought there was no way a fan like me would not get the code. Someone in my household was going to be getting that golden ticket. Yet, when it came to the presale dates, there was no code – not with Ticketmaster, not with any special Avion Rewards. Nothing. It was definitely a disappointing feeling, and I wouldn’t have been able to fly out of the country to attend a concert. My mom and I entered the radio contests and the 50/50 draws, but there was little to no chance that we would get to go to the Eras Tour. I tried telling myself that maybe general sale would still have some reasonable tickets, but it seems like in this time period, concert tickets are a luxury item. I could not find a ticket within my budget, and I also couldn’t find a way to get to the concert. Toronto was already a busy city, and with thousands of fans travelling to the city, there were no hotel rooms available nor was there a transit service running when the concert was done. So even if, by some chance, I was handed a ticket to the concert, it wasn’t feasible. It was something that I wouldn’t get to experience firsthand.
The Scroll of Shame
On the day of the presale, whoever was able to snag some tickets for the concert made it very clear on social media that they were going to be there. It was the ultimate defeat. Seeing so many people getting the opportunity to experience The Era’s Tour. I almost had to take a complete break from Instagram until all the buzz died down. There is nothing worse than wanting something so bad, just to watch other people parade it around. Social media turned into a scroll of shame, which was just another reminder of how unlucky I had been. It seemed as though everyone but me was able to get those tickets.
Acceptance
So, finally, after a rollercoaster of emotions, I think I’ve finally made peace with the fact that I would be missing out on the Taylor Swift Experience. No presale code, no affordable tickets, no way of getting to the concert, no way of staying overnight in Toronto – everything was out of my control. Maybe it was the long waiting period between the original ticket sales and the actual date of the concerts, but I’ve accepted my fate. I went and saw the movie, which gave a sliver into what I would have experienced this month. It’s not the real deal, but I’ll take what I can get. Will the FOMO get worse again on the nights of the concert? Yes, I think so, it’s unavoidable. The only thing left for me to do is to remind myself that I’m not alone in this feeling. With so many avid fans in Canada, there are probably thousands of people who didn’t get tickets either. Knowing that it wasn’t just me who was stripped of this opportunity is a somewhat relaxing feeling, and at the end of the day, it is a concert. This isn’t a life-defining moment for me, and whether I go to The Era’s Tour or not, the world keeps spinning. Would I have had a great time if I went? Yes, but there will be so many chances for me to have fun, so I’ll just have to make the most out of those.