Part 1: Not with a bang but a whimper

Due to the outbreak, classes have been moved online and Commencement has been canceled. I understand why. I know that among all that people are experiencing now, I am closer to the zenith than the nadir. Yet I feel an undeniable disappointment, a sadness with being denied the catharsis of a proper end to my formal education.

Part 2: Crisis on service

The consequences of the outbreak for me are small compared to for others. The most affected are service workers, losing jobs and, of those who still have one, working even more than normal to meet the needs of the crisis. Especially in the US, we tend to treat service workers (in contrast to knowledge workers) not great. If you're using a delivery service like me (I don't want to pass anything to my parents), make sure to leave an extra, extra large tip.

Part 3: Comfort in reliable mediocrity

On the drive home, we stopped at McDonald's. Sure McDonald's isn't that good; it's not not good. I found out later that day that almost every restaurant had closed doors in response to the outbreak. The cashier talked about how the virus had changed their work as they handed me my order. Though it was nothing much, the fries and the chicken nuggets were as they always were, and among all the crazy things that have happened, I found some comfort in that.