Over 5 weeks have passed since UCLA transitioned to remote learning due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This is an unprecedented world crisis in a number of ways, and boy am I shocked at how much things have changed in a very short period of time. For my own historical recordkeeping purposes, I’ve listed some interesting facts as a result of this pandemic. Maybe you’ll find them interesting as well. I’ll also discuss the impact of this tragic event on the lives of my peers. After we return to some semblance of normalcy, I’ll do an update section so stay tuned for that.

Peter Thiel is a popular entrepreneur and venture capitalist most known for founding PayPal and the Founders Fund. He is a self-proclaimed contrarian, an individual who rejects popular opinion. When he came to my university last year to give a talk, I disagreed with his overtly pessimistic attitude towards modern innovation. He asserted that scientific progress has stalled in the last few decades, a seldom heard perspective in today’s age of technological revolution.

But, I look now at the world through the filter of his words, and I am deeply saddened. The basic medical infrastructure necessary to protect our own citizens seems on the verge of crumbling as municipalities struggle to obtain ventilators and personal protective equipment. How, in the “greatest country on earth”, did we allow ourselves to become so disillusioned or arrogant as to avoid all preparation or reason for natural disasters.

I see thousands of people involved in protests against isolation, conflating corona virus with the common cold. I see news organizations and political authorities spout unsubstantiated medical claims while ignoring the advice of medical professionals. I see conspiracy theories and racist accusations hurled at social figures and nations in aggravated name-calling.

Meanwhile, China, Germany, South Korea, and others introduced immediate, decisive measures to steer their respective countries on a path to contain the virus and prevent significant exposure. I have admired the ingenuity and innovation of American talent for my entire life, but I envy foreign nations who managed to get a cohesive plan into effect. As a quick aside, here is an interesting article that I came across about the success of female leaders in dealing with the virus.

As of this post, the USA has experienced a total of 785,000 cases and over 40,000 deaths. More Americans lost their life to this virus than in the Korean War, War in Afghanistan, and Iraq War combined.

In this world of suffering, I deeply sympathize with all who have been forced to make sacrifices. The hardships of having a sick family member or friend are imaginable. My entire community has been hit hard by the death of our beloved middle school principal Mr. Jim Brown. He was an impassioned educator with the best interests of his students in mind always. I had thought about making a trip to the school a few months ago to visit my old teachers, but I lost the battle to fear of embarrassment. I regret that as the opportunity won’t arise again for many months. In a more positive light, I am deeply impressed by all of the teachers who were able to transition to remote learning without ever experiencing it before and by all the students who are still dedicated to their education regardless of their locale.

Over 5 million Americans filed for unemployment claims just last week, bringing the total over the last four weeks to 22 million people.

Many of my friends have recently been hit with the news that their summer internships and full-time offers have been canceled due to the coronavirus. Even household names like Yelp, Google, and National Institutes of Health have shut down programs that cannot be transitioned online. I have no doubt that these smart and talented individuals will find nothing but success in their futures, but I know creeping doubts must cross their mind. Clubs and extracurriculars have always been a highlight of my college experience, and now we are relying on Zoom and Slack for communication. As boards transition and new members join, maintaining a positive culture and growth mindset become even more challenging and necessary. Hopefully we can get back to school soon, catching up on all the work that needs to be finished before competition season!

As mentioned, stay tune for an update post. I’m sure it will highlight more of my outrage and disbelief at the way coronavirus is being handled. Take care!