Dear Mark,
I hope that pandemic has ended by 2021 and my final year as an undergraduate at UNC is going superbly. As I am writing this, the state of North Carolina is on lockdown where residents are advised to stay at home and practice social distancing to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. Many restaurants are shut down, while some are offering curbside pick-up and delivery. Movies theaters and gyms are shut down, so I have been watching anime, NBA highlights on YouTube, playing basketball outside, and working out at the gym at home. Being at home for an extended amount of time with my family has reminded me of my high school days. I am desperately missing the life at college I used to have at my dorm with all of my friends at UNC. I miss playing basketball at Woolen and Ram’s gym as well as playing Club Tennis tournaments during the weekends. I miss going to the movie theaters on late Friday nights at UNC.
If all is well in 2021, I hope you appreciate every second you spend playing basketball at the gym and playing tennis at the courts with all of your friends. I hope you appreciate the conversations you have at the restaurants you go to with your family and friends. I hope you appreciate the moments you spend going on a run at the local parks and interacting with the people there without everyone having an overwhelming fear of being contracted by a stranger. Although I may want to forget the unprecedented, dark days of the lockdown, it is important to remember the grim days to appreciate the normalcy of everyday life we have been so accustomed to our entire lives. I also hope you appreciate the time you spend with your family because even during the lockdown, they provided you with ample food and water as well as home entertainment. Many families have undeservingly struggled during the virus outbreak worldwide, which puts into perspective how fortunate you actually were during the lockdown. Lastly, I hope the people worldwide will never have to experience a global pandemic again in our lifetime.
Sincerely,
Mark
April 16, 2020