Teens on TikTok are writing to pen pals as a way to save the USPS. Gen Z has been rallying support for the USPS by creating memes, fancams, and buying merch. They’re even forming pen pals and sending out old fashioned letters as a way to save the postal service. While handwritten letters were popular during the “pre-Internet era,” they’ve taken a whole new, political meaning in 2020. On TikTok, the hashtag #penpal has more than 60 million views and features videos of users showing off their letters, collection of stickers and trinkets, and calligraphy montages. And on Instagram, accounts like @thesnailmailbox and @writtenconnections were created solely to support the USPS. To develop new pen pal relationships, many teens DM each online first for safety reasons before establishing if they’re a “good match.” (i-D)
