Dear Malcolm,

Of course you know I am a freshman here at the University of North Carolina at

Charlotte. I was born in the town of Hickory

on December 3rd 1995. That makes me 19

years old. I live in a small little town just

east of Hickory called Catfish. If they had a

hospital I would have been born there, but

they dont even have a post office. I have

lived there my whole entire life. I went to

Oxford Elementary, the best school ever in my opinion. I was a member of the student

council and was in battle of the books. While I was there I cheered for the optimist team,

and I also cheered competitively. Also while in elementary school I tried out soccer,

basketball and softball. I hated all those. I loved cheer and continued it though middle

school when I attended River Bend

Middle School. At River Bend I was in

Beta Club. Then I moved on to Bunker

Hill High, home of the bears. In high

school I cheered for Odyssey All-Stars

my freshman and sophomore year. I was in beta club and the National Honor Society. I

was the mascot my senior year during football season. I was a junior marshal and then

graduated with honors. I was on the homecoming court and went to prom three years. My

senior prom was the best.

Now I will tell you about my crazy family. Well we all live on the same road. My

grandparents are Carpenters and we live on Carpenters Cove Road. There are 10 houses

on that road that are all family so I have been very

close with my family all my life. The road is on Lake

Lookout, which was great to have growing up

because my family would always be out there grilling

out. Im so thankful for my aunt and uncle and

cousins living across the street because I am always

over there. In middle school I practically lived there.

They are such great people and they really taught me a lot and made me a better person.

My parents divorced when I was 5 and me and my sister both live with my mom. I still

see my dad all the time, but my sister refused too. Mom likes her better because of that.

I have a very close group of friends. Going to a small school in such a small town

was great because we were like a great big family. I am still very close with everyone and

see them often. Living on the lake my house was always the go to spot for me and my

friends. We would spend all summer out on the lake during the day, and then sit around

the fire at night. Bonfires were the only things we really

had to do out there. We have bonfires all year round.

Thats one of my favorite things to do. Sit around, roast

marsh mellows, talk, and just relax. We would also

spend time at this place called the rock: in the summer

time. It was this big cliff thing on the lake that you

would climb up and jump off. It was always fun as long as you didnt hit any rocks.

Another thing that was very near and dear to my heart that my friends and me would do is

go to the poolroom. It is this little caf with the best food ever. They would make a mean

liver mush egg and cheese. We would go every Friday morning before class and it would

just make the whole day. That place is one thing I miss the most.

Nothing ever really bad happened to me, my family, my friends, or the small town

I grew up in, until this year. This event was the only thing that has really impacted my

life. We had a tragic event happen in my town that affected everyone. On October 3 of

this year there was a bad car wreck. 5 of my close friends, and very active members of

Bunker Hill and the community were in the car. Two of them passed away instantly.

This really changed everything back home. The community grew closer and it really

changed the way of life for everyone. The next week, another kid died in a hunting

accident. There has been a lot of tragedy back home, I am thankful that I am away

because it makes it easier to not face.

I am a member of Bethel Lutheran Church and the people there are great. My

youth group was like my second family. I was the president of youth all four years of

high school and I always looked forward to church events. Every year we would go to the

best place on earth. Camp Linn Haven. I have been going my whole life and look forward

to it every year.

Currently I have no clue what I wasnt to do with the rest of my life. I am

undecided in my major, and there is no job that seems appealing to me. All I know about

my future is that I want to live on Carpenters Cove and have a family. Whatever I am

doing I want to be happy and not stress going to work. If I made a lot of money doing it,

that would be even better.

-Cameron Hopkins