We Were Kids in the Metaverse

On the plane headed to Miami, I experienced this sort of child-like sense of nervousness. Like on that first day of kindergarten, awaiting the knowledge of what the other kids would be like. What would we play together?

Except it was me, 29 years old, on my way to a week in Miami for Art Basel 2021. All I knew of the people I would meet were their twitter and discord profiles, a bunch of individuals represented by their profile pictures of cartoon animals, digital art pieces, and women with rainbow and golden skin. Because, of course, most of my new friends are from NFT land.

The experience was filled with excitement and electricity. A series of events, each following one after the other with seemingly no breaks in between. The concept of time and space melted away as an entire week went by with just the singular thought sustaining us along the way: don’t miss out. 

In the NFT space we always say “we are early.” But, if we’re so early then why all the FOMO? 

Since we are early, we fear it may never feel this way again.

It may never seem so new, so exciting, so easy to meet people. We are in the early stages where there is seemingly no competition and all collaboration. Everyone is curious about who you are, the ideas you are thinking up, and what you are working on. Everyone wants to help.

The newness of what is happening with NFTs is palpable.

Last week, I had many conversations with artists whose careers had changed in the blink of an eye, collectors whose net worths had exceeded their wildest dreams. Everyone seemingly had their whole lives figured out. Except for the one common theme: it all happened so quickly. 

None of us could have prepared for this. 

There was something distinctly different about the VIP sections within the invite-only events I attended this week. There was a humility about the people who stood behind those guarded rails. For a few moments, we were VIPs among the invited, rubbing elbows with Gary Vaynerchuck, Set Free Richardson, and Bryce Hall. 

We danced and hugged, trying to conceal the fact that we may have be feeling like the biggest imposters around.

I had the time of my life. Yet, I look back on this week with a hint of melancholy. Will it ever feel as new again? The mystique behind so many hidden personalities has gone and now we can be considered just normal, old friends. 

What will happen to our communities as the newness yields to normalcy? When good old fun turns into a living? When money gets even more involved?

Will we still be as nervously excited to see each other again? Will we still be as present?

Will we graduate to bigger and better things and forget about the moments we all felt like the young-eyed imposters? 

Even if this does happen, at least we got to be kids again. We got to laugh together, dream together, hop from one event to another together. We giggled as we shared secrets the whole world would one day find out about. 

I wish I had taken more pictures, but these memories will have to suffice.

Just a bunch of kids in the metaverse trying to be liked, to find our place, and to not feel so damn alone all the time.