Literally: “fear of gate closing”
The perfect partner is just one click away—at least, that’s what ads for dating apps like to tell you.
You might get the feeling that the promise of ubiquitous love opportunities has made it harder, not easier, to find the one who is really meant for you. In this sense, it’s mainly the long-time Tinder power users who, at some point in their mid-30s, look a bit dumbfounded, worrying that the ship might have sailed for them. This is where Torschlusspanik enters the stage. In general, it can be described as the anxiety of missing out on your plans in life due to age.
It does not mean quite the same as the English term “FOMO” (“fear of missing out”), as Torschlusspanik refers more to your general goals, particularly relationship-wise, than to short-time business opportunities or technological trends. To sum it up, Torschlusspanik is what you might experience when you see your friends with their healthy kids and beautiful houses while you’re in the middle of sending another pic to a casual online acquaintance.
