2020 feels so unreal right now. It really feels like the world has slowed down, maybe even stopped. We’re home all the time now due to the quarantine that’s just been sanctioned. Isolated from society. Extremely bored.
My best friend just bought me a VR headset a few weeks prior, and I don’t think she realized how perfect the timing was.
We’re living together right now, and VR has quickly become our favorite thing. It’s not just a gadget, it’s something we experience together. We put the headset on, take turns, laugh at each other’s reactions, and talk nonstop about what we just “saw” or “did,” even though we never left our apartment.
I love virtual reality because I’ve always loved immersive experiences. VR takes that and turns it into something so amazing and so real.
I’m way too chicken to ride rollercoasters in real life, but in virtual reality, I can do it and that’s enough for me. My stomach drops, my heart races, and my body fully believes it’s happening, yet I’m safe the whole time. It’s thrilling without the regret, which honestly feels very on-brand for me.
But the best part has been the virtual music festivals.
We’ve both been missing them so much. The lights, the crowds, the sound vibrating through your body, the feeling of being surrounded by people who are just there to feel something. We used to dream about going again, talking about “when this is all over.” Instead, we put on the headset and did it virtually.
It’s not the same as real life, but it’s close enough. Close enough to remind us of the movement, energy, and connection when everything else feels paused.
We have also traveled the world in VR. Major cities. Famous places. Spots I’ve already been to and places I’ve only imagined. No packing. No flights. No anxiety. Just exploration. In a moment where our physical world feels so limited, that kind of freedom feels surprisingly emotional.
The funnest part is visiting different worlds and talking to other people. It makes us feel less lonely considering we are isolated from society.
What I didn’t expect is how physical VR feels. I lean, I reach, I flinch. My nervous system reacts before my brain can remind me it’s not real.
There’s something really comforting about experiencing this with my best friend. We’re alone together, making our own little world inside this strange one. Laughing, dreaming, pretending, and finding joy where we can.
Honestly, it’s been one of the best things to have during quarantine. Such an amazing device. Completely worth it. It doesn’t fix the world, but it makes it feel a little bigger.
2020 may not have been what we imagined our lives would look like, but if we can’t go to music festivals right now, at least we can dance in virtual ones together.
Honestly, Vanessa 