For me it's an experiment that slowly got very real once it hit 2k. Up until then it was fun to think I have some btc and didn't really think of it much but once it got over the 2k milestone it became a "thing". A more serious "thing" 
probably most of the users didn't really thinking of it too when bitcoin was only below $1 000 and just saw the value of bitcoin as a really great investment after its price goes higher and it became a serious and important thing to them as well
For me Bitcoin is the future a investment. Bitcoin is opportunity for many people, I make some extra income from trading, gambling, signature campaigns and with current bitcoin price, i'm getting a satisfactory profit.
make it an investment as soon as possible instead of considering it as a future investment because you may lose the great opportunity from bitcoin if you do not grab it right now . probably you are getting a good amount from those different ways so I think it will be better to save all your earnings and just keep it all in your bitcoin wallet so that in the near future you will get a profit which will make you really satisfied .