Dear Future Self,

I hope you are doing well, and that you are enjoying every moment with your friends and family that you can. I’m sure you will remember these months as they have changed the way we live forever. The fear, worry, and the happy moments will be with you for a very long time.

My main sources of comfort have changed and varied. Music is always reliable when I need to calm down or take my mind off of something. The late, great Mac Miller can always calm me down or uplift me. I have, like a lot of other people, watched a ton of Netflix. I have rewatched ​”Parks and Rec​reation” and ​”The Office​” already. There is a growing list of movies and TV shows that I intend to watch as there is nothing else to do. I recently cleaned up a corner of the basement and moved one of my grandparents’ TVs to the basement and I set up my PlayStation. I have spent a decent amount of time playing video games as well, and of course my friends have kept me sane throughout this whole quarantine experience. They are always there for me. My family has made things interesting to say the least. The house is either quiet with work or loud with chaos. And I can’t forget my girlfriend. Katie has managed to single-handedly keep me calm and level-headed. Though we cannot see each other, we understand that our small sacrifice is helping our families’ and others’ who need it the most.

I find myself getting upset over not being able to go out with friends and girlfriend. I did get to see Katie for her birthday–six feet apart of course. I strive for normalcy again. I have to remind myself that this quarantine isn’t necessarily about me or for me. I am aware that I have a stronger immune system and I am less likely to get the virus because of my age, so this isn’t that big of an issue for me. However, I must continue to follow the restrictions put in place in order to protect the people who are immunocompromised and my family. This has been very humbling in that way. I find myself just accepting what is going on and continuing on with my life. There are things that I can’t control, and that’s alright. My view on the world has also changed. I realized that there are some ignorant people. I will not call them stupid because I believe that they are either uneducated, unwilling to change, or this was how they were raised. I try not to focus on these people as they are probably putting themselves and others at risk. Often I will voice my concern to my close friends in hopes that they will learn from them. On the other hand, the world has come together like never before. I have an increased respect for our first responders. They are risking themselves every day for our health. I also have a new found respect for those who are considered essential workers and continue to work during this pandemic. This experience has renewed my faith in humanity.

Even through the bad times, we must continue to find ways to laugh. Whether that is with your brother playing video games or just playing outside or calling your friends on FaceTime. Those memories will be the ones that stick with us. They will be the ones we will pass on to others. Remember that it is only temporary. Accept it and get over it. It’s easier said than done, believe me. I hope this letter will remind you of the importance of those people closest to you and the memories you make with them.

Sincerely,

Nico Showalter