Getting handwritten letters make friends feel less far away

Integrative biology concentrator Allison Law, back home in Natick, Mass., talks about the changes brought on by the pandemic as part of the series "Postcards From Here."

Campus & Community

Getting handwritten letters make friends feel less far away

May 18, 2020

3 min read

This is part of a series called Postcards From Here, in which Harvard undergraduates talk about the changes brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Allison Law ’20
Hometown: Natick, Mass.
Concentration: Integrative Biology
House: Kirkland
Well-founded fears
“My parents are essential workers and do not have the option to work from home or to stop working. To put it mildly, working conditions everywhere could be a lot safer. I am thankful that we have been spared by the recent wave of unemployment, but I can’t help but worry about the daily exposure. It’s frustrating when people assume that I am not appreciative when I express concern for the safety of my parents.”
Daily reminders
“Interactions between neighbors have changed. It seems that people are more wary of each other, though I’m not sure if COVID-19 did that or if it’s just Massachusetts. Grocery runs have changed noticeably. Toilet paper aside, it has been difficult to find flour and Law family kitchen staples such as bok choy sum and yu choy.”
Missing the pups
“I miss the serendipity of School — from crossing path with friends between classes to the dinners in Kirkland Hall that turn into study breaks. I especially miss the dogs in Kirkland. Walking the Faculty Deans’ Bernese mountain dogs, Bella and Jack, and coming home from class to a courtyard full of friendly dogs was part of my normal routine at the College.’’
Thank you, Bon Appétit
“I’ve been adapting my senior thesis into a manuscript and into an essay for a general audience. I also teach a section for a physics course and host study breaks for OEBug, the Organismic & Evolutionary Biology Undergraduate Group. I’ve also been reading, trying to keep up the musical chops, and watching shenanigans unfold in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen.”
Postal script
“To stay in touch, my friends and I call, write letters, and video chat. Planning activities with friends helps me keep a schedule throughout the week and gives me things to look forward to. The letters and postcards are the most meaningful. Especially when schedules don’t overlap, I like how letters serve as tangible reminders of the person I miss. Reading their linguistic idiosyncrasies in their handwriting makes it feel like they’re less far away.”