Daily Archives: May 7, 2020

Campus Life

Is isolation introvert heaven?

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Patricia Gosselin and her dog

You enjoy spending time alone? Check.

You’d rather spend time with one close friend than with a crowd? Check.

You prefer calm, mildly stimulating environments rather than loud, rowdy ones? Check.

After several conclusive internet quizzes, endless field research conducted by myself, and constant comparisons between myself and others, I’ve come to realize that even though I once thought of myself as an extrovert, I am most definitely, without a doubt, an introvert to my core. Though I’m not alone, intovertdear.com says somewhere between 30-50% of the US population are introverts, it can feel extremely lonely some days. In quarantine, not so much.

Are the current guidelines for social distancing a godsend for those of us who self-identify as introverts? It can feel like it. There are no social obligations at this time, not only are you encouraged to stay home but your peers would judge you if you didn’t practice proper social distancing.

For those of us who are introverts and also students, the shift to online learning can be helpful. Anxiety can be a common symptom among introverts, according to PsychologyToday and they can face anxiety in just showing up for class. For me, some days it feels like a grueling task just to get dressed and drive much less be there, so the switch to remote learning comes as a welcomed change. I can work, on my own, at my own pace and Zoom events are far less draining than in-person classes or meetings.

An introvert can feel depleted after social events, almost as if every interaction is a withdrawal from their bank of emotions, and usually the only way to re-charge or make deposits back into that bank is to spend time alone, says buffer.com. With the current social climate, there are minimal social settings and a plethora of re-charge opportunities.

I’m in heaven, you know, besides the whole pandemic thing, don’t get me wrong I would never intend to minimize the deaths of thousands. It feels like this world was made for me, rather than before, where I felt like an outsider most times. The status quo finally leans in my favor.

So, if I, and people like me, are thriving in this moment of increased social distance, then what does the future hold when things begin to return to normal. If anything, I believe more people will have discovered that they too enjoy working/learning from home and social distancing and might want to continue the practice.

Opinion

Vaccine inside a box

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As we are reaching the end of our two month mandatory lockdown, many things about the American way have changed dramatically. For starters, no one can say that they fully grasp the context of the walking epidemic and the impact it will have in months to come or even the next few years. This is probably the highest unemployment rate that the country has ever seen, and the rise in the rate of people needing to ask for food and other resources to make ends meet.

The social structure of school has vanished, and some workers have kids that they don’t have child care for anymore. Sports of all kinds are canceled and many people are stuck inside trying to find a purpose to life at this point.

But, as the world turns, so does the way we think and comprehend things. How do we have fun? How do we get back to normal? What is normal? Being a journalist, I have asked many questions on these issues. Most people think that it’s just crazy to not be able to gather with family and friends and have a good time, and it’s a very hard time to be alone.

One answer I found came from a source that I will let remain unknown for personal reasons, but this person is very scared of the lines outside the store where people have to risk getting sick and dealing with unpleasant people. When thinking about everything, personally I believe this pandemic is very media-fueled. Too many Americans are trying to cope without fear but the news on TV has us lost. That fear has exacerbated the monster called COVID, to the point that humans are under extreme scrutiny.

The only way for us to move is up and when looking through the lens of 2020 I see hope. The lockdown has shown us that maybe the protest culture is dead, and we Americans are truly in love with social distance and staying home. But nonetheless a vaccine will come soon if the story line is true about people working around the clock the develop it. Only question is, will it be given at your local library or will it be shipped to every American mailbox called “Vaccine Inside a Box?”

Home Page Featured News

Students continue to adjust to remote learning

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Patricia Gosselin photo

For most college students, on campus learning is the preferred    method of education, but due to the ongoing pandemic, students have now been forced to abruptly transition to remote learning.

“It definitely hasn’t been a smooth transition for me, this semester has been pretty tough.”  stated NECC student Ryan Perrault via Zoom interview. Many NECC students like Perrault are feeling overwhelmed, lost, and disconnected from their normal learning environment. 

For some NECC students like Lauren Thornhill, remote learning hasn’t been too difficult to adapt to. “Online learning is definitely different from learning in the classroom, but it’s also nice because I can work on assignments throughout the day,” she said.

“The best part is you can attend class and complete homework all while never having to eave the house,” Thornhill laughed via Zoom.   

For some couple students, factors outside of the classroom are the biggest challenge. Many businesses have been forced to temporarily or permanently close due to the ongoing pandemic, forcing many NECC students to stay home.  However, some NECC students have been considered “essential” workers, and have been forced to work more hours while juggling homework as well.

This is the current situation for NECC student Ally Farrah, who describes her current situation as a “true test of determination and self-discipline.” “

I’ve had a lot of homework lately, and my job has increased my hours due to being understaffed.  So with work and homework I’ve just been really tired and stressed out lately,”  said Farrah. 

Like Farrah, many NECC students can relate to the stress and exhaustion from balancing their school work and jobs. Despite the challenges they face, NECC students and staff have done an incredible job at showing true character and strength during these uncertain times. 

 

Sports

Esports continue

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Northern Essex Community College currently has only one sport still continuing games and that is esports. With the situation at hand canceling a lot of sports this semester, esports is able to continue playing due to the fact they won’t have to be in-person to play. Some of their games were canceled when the campus was closed, but some of them were still able to be played. 

Coach David Arivella has been able to help the esports athletes during this time by keeping some of the games going. “Our Overwatch team was unable to continue playing as some of our players required the equipment on campus so the Overwatch team was forced to drop out. So, players who cannot play from home were unfortunately unable to continue competing,” Arivella said. The esports team was able to continue with its Smash Brothers Ultimate and Rocket League games though.

The difficulty of streaming Smash Brothers Ultimate has been hard for the team considering they don’t have the proper equipment to be able to stream the games. “Unfortunately, we do not have a capture card for streaming Smash Bros which makes it hard for anyone to follow. Matches are played but no one actually gets to watch them,” Arivella said. “We will hopefully be getting a capture card for next semester which should allow a Smash player to stream.” The esports team is looking to acquire a capture card that would upload the games to a screen and then the team would be able to stream it for the audience.

The esports Rocket League team recently won the championship on April 29. For anyone interested in following the esports team you can see how their tournament system is set up at https://njcaae.leaguespot.gg/league and if you want to see the overall standings for the esports team you can check that out at https://www.neccknights.com/sports/esports/2019-20/schedule. 

Opinion

Tea helps to cope with quarantine, symptoms

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I think I was exposed to Coronavirus.

 The day was Tuesday April 14, 2020. I woke up that morning with a cold.  I was scheduled to work and was debating whether I would work the shift, or if I would disappoint my job. I asked my coworker for his advice. He then shared with me a COVID-19 related email he had received.

As I read the email I realized that I could potentially have the virus. I called my manager right away. Flashbacks of me not being cautious start playing in my head as the phone rings. I share with them the news and they tell me to get tested right away.

 My doctor informs me that my symptoms aren’t typical but there’s still a possibility of infection. She instructs me to stay in my room for a total of 10 days. I was not allowed anywhere in the house without gloves or a mask, and I was forced to self medicate. My schedule looked a bit like this:

 9 am: Morning tea, vitamins, alongside regular cough medicine.

 3pm: Afternoon tea, and second dose of regular cough medicine

 11pm: Night Time tea 

 I wasn’t eating as much as I wanted to because my sense of taste and smell disappeared but luckily I made it through. There is no proof that the teas actually did something but it seemed to work for me.

I was fortunate enough to not develop any further symptoms, but this experience was life changing. I believed I was being careful but in reality the only way to be safe is to be home. So with that being said; please stay home!

Opinion

Home learning, teaching, and appreciating

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All around the world, teachers have been learning to teach remotely, and adjusting to the “new norm.” Parents and guardians must also adjust to the way their household has to be now. This may be an easier switch for younger moms and dads, or families with teenagers to help. But most parents and younger children are having a hard time trying to figure out all the technology that’s now required to be used daily for education to continue and for teachers to ideally teach. However, nothing is ideal right now.

 In my household there are five children that normally attend public schools in Haverhill. They are ages 7, 9, 10, 12 and 15. The 15-year-old is my sister Laylani and she is in the age range where she knows what she’s doing for the most part and doesn’t need much guidance. Also, Laylani goes to a technical high school, where everyone has already been using iPads and learning more technologically so she just has to adjust to the Zoom calls. Zoom is a video conferencing app that schools are using to have some sort of face-to-face class and to give students a chance to ask questions, and teachers a chance to explain concepts better. I know of Zoom and “Google Meets” and both are ways of communicating with a full class of students now until the end of the school year.

 Since there are so many students in my house and not many rooms, when all of these class meetings happen, it gets hectic. The video calls happen around the same time, if not at the exact same time, and all of the kids in my house will sit at the kitchen table, some with headphones, and some without, and there will be four to five different classes going on at once. With these calls, comes a lot of technical difficulties and not much time for one-on-ones between the student and teacher. So, when “class” isn’t going on, my grandmother and I still like to focus on their education. I’m their spelling, art, and music teacher, and my grandmother is the science and gym teacher. This makes it interesting because although we do things differently from their teachers at school, what really matters is we’re keeping them busy and educating them at the same time.

 Although there have been many complications and adjustments when it comes to this new normal of homeschooling and cooperating with technology, this has been a great learning experience for me. During this time, I’ve grown to appreciate teachers more because of how overwhelming it can be, and I learned how hard it is to create assignments and projects for a group of kids with different ages and separated interpretations. But if we just try our best, as parents and guardians, to give our children a stress-free environment to keep learning, I think we will be well prepared for what the future holds. Education is so important, and we should all be teachers of something.

Features

Digital solace: Local IT support specialist assists with tech literacy

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Angel Garcia
Angel Garcia and family celebrate New Year’s 2020.

Angel Garcia, 34, of Lawrence is using his Associate of Science degree from Middlesex Community College with a focus in computer software and networking to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the pandemic I’ve been helping friends and family stay or get connected online. Whether it’s getting the kids online so they can attend a class. Helping people pay their bills online. Fill out unemployment, renew drivers and professional licenses and things of that nature,” said Garcia in an email. “I’m also helping people start the offline to online transition and figure out how to monetize their passions.”

Once Garcia’s employer, IFS Core in Billerica, gave the order to work remotely in early March, he decided to set up a Discord server so that he and his co-workers could communicate in a sort of virtual office. This is when he first realized that other people could benefit from his help navigating technology during this time. He advertised his offer to help on Facebook. “I knew this would affect more people and decided to post on my timeline offering help,” he said.

Garcia has always been one willing to lend a helping hand whenever needed and this pandemic would not be the exception.

“…serving the community isn’t new for me. I served on the Greater Lawrence Technical High School Committee from 2014-2017 and I’ve been streaming on Twitch for about a year now and via this medium, I’ve been able to help 3 of my viewers get their A+ certification and improve their lives,” he said.

Garcia has helped over 30 people get acquainted with technology in various ways since COVID-19 first made local headlines. Initially he was comfortable going to homes in person but as the pandemic has progressed, he has decided it is safer to help remotely.

“Everyone is pretty appreciative of the help and happy to get connected and get things done. And I’ve helped across a wide range of ages from 20’s-60’s plus,” he said.

Garcia plans on helping people with their technology needs for as long is necessary, free of charge. “I’ve been blessed to be able to continue to work from home through all this, so I have not had the need to charge for any of my services to the community,” he said.

Garcia encourages anyone who wants to help during the pandemic to do so by finding a way to use their passion to help those in need. “…That way, it doesn’t feel like work. And if nothing else, make a monetary donation to a family in need. Show your neighbor they are not alone,” he said.

If you or anyone you know could use help with setting up or using technology during this time, Garcia would be happy to help. He can be reached by telephone at (978) 566-1707 or email at help@agmoments.com.

Opinion, Slider

A day in quarantine: A high school student shares her story

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 Have you ever watched one of those movies or films where the characters’ day keeps restarting or repeating each time they wake up? Sort of like a time loop. Well that is exactly the way my life has been lately. 
I chose the title “A Day in Quarantine” for this essay, because every day is the same. I only need to explain one day and then multiply that by the number of days I’ve been in quarantine. I feel like my life is on replay; like I am being forced to relive the same day every day. 
It wasn’t too bad at first, but I didn’t think it would last this long. So many plans and ideas destroyed by coronavirus. So many days wasted. It is like everything began unraveling. First, school is cancelled. Then work. Then businesses. Everything! Until all you have left is your house.  
But, like I said, it wasn’t bad at first, I’ll tell you why. When I first heard that school would be cancelled due to the new coronavirus, I was so excited. I saw it as a break. I was so stressed with school and assignments. I thought “Hey, finally a break to relax and catch up on assignments.” I was so relieved to be home with nothing but time.
Time to work on all those missing assignments, time to organize my life, time to relax and let go of all the stress, time to get more shifts at work. See, I was excited. A day went by. Life was good, no school! I was staying up late, sleeping all I wanted, watching all the Netflix I wanted.  
Then a week went by, feels like a school break, life is still good. All I see are funny memes on Facebook and other social media. Then two weeks went by, and three weeks. Then a whole month went by. This is when my life started getting chaotic, like the time loop. This is when life started to repeat. When the date to go back to school kept getting delayed. April…then May 4th… Now, we’re not going back to school until the next school year.  
This is when everything started to hit me. I am not a senior yet, so I won’t be missing out on important once-in-a-lifetime events like prom, or graduation, or senior activities. But I’ll be missing out on other things that I have worked so hard for. Like SAT prep so that I can pass my SATs.  I was working on my college essay with my counselors and talking about schools and requirements. I was so excited. Now all of that has been taken away from me.  
I was working so hard to make my senior year easier. Working on my resume, my college essay, and researching schools so that I can have everything done when the time came. I feel like I have more to worry about than before all of this happened.  
Now, I’ve been home a little over a month. No school, no work, no anything.  It’s been difficult, especially with no work. See, school, I can handle being without for some time, but work? I’m losing my mind. I work in a nursing home as a certified nursing assistant. I love my job, I love my residents, and I love my co-workers. I love going to work. When they cancelled school, I immediately picked up shifts at work. I was so eager to be working more often.
Sadly, a couple weeks into the lockdown because of the virus, my mom made me stop working. I was so infuriated when she told me I couldn’t go back to work. She warned me every day. As soon as I arrived home, I had to put my scrubs in a bag, take off my shoes and leave them outside, and rush to the bathroom to get clean. I was willing to do this every time I got home from work.
I was so enraged that my mom didn’t let me work because I didn’t care if residents and patients at my job were getting sick. I didn’t care if I had to wear a mask that fogged up my goggles or wear a gown and goggles as soon as I walked into work.
Nothing mattered to me because I work in the dementia unit. I care for people that don’t even know what’s going on because they don’t even know their own names. I care for individuals that don’t even realize that their families stopped visiting weeks ago because they are not allowed to anymore. What does matter to me is the fact that now there are less and less nurses there to help. Less CNAs every day who stop going into work because of the dangerous circumstances.   
So now that I am not working, or going to school, my days look the same. I wake up at the same time. Eat at the same time. Log into Google Classroom and Blackboard at the same time. Then eat again. Watch Netflix. Sleep. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. I love my family, but I’m tired of seeing the same faces every day. I have never valued school so much like I do now.
Editors’s Note: Xochilth is a Lawrence High School Early College student at NECC. She wrote this for an English Comp 102 class and shared it with the NECC Observer. 
 
Opinion

Virus delivers an unfair blow to NECC students

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President Donald Trump and the United States Federal Government forgot about college students when they came up with the CARES Act.
The $2 trillion aid package made multiple earmarked billions for giant institutions and small businesses. It granted adults an instant $1200 plus $500 for each of their dependent children. Plus, those making upwards of $800 per week through unemployment claims picked up an extra $600 per week from the federal government to help in the COVID-19 crisis.   
The one group which received no relief? Any college student who remains a dependent of someone else, receives nothing, no aid, no help, nothing. The stimulus package overlooks many Northern Essex Community College students and has certainly had a ripple effect in these trying times.  
“I feel like we are being overlooked and it is not fair,” freshman Jose Baez said. “The way I look at it, we need money as much as anyone does, more than a lot of people. How could they forget us?”  (Editor’s Note: There are CARES funds available to colleges. NECC has accessed some funds and says they will work to distribute some to students.)
Coronavirus’ effects on college students has been more than just a switch from learning in the classroom to classes online. For those with a part-time jobs, it has produced quite the strain.  
Others saw their normally safe, quiet jobs in fast food or at a store suddenly become dangerous.  
“I work at Market Basket,” freshman Todd Randall said. “This has been crazy to go in and work. I’m lucky to have a job, and I know that. And Market Basket has been great trying to protect us. But it’s still a little scary. I need the job, so I just go to work and do all I can to be safe and smart, you know all the things they’ve been telling us to do.”  
Students with jobs in food service have taken on an extra strain as takeout and deliveries have become so important to some families during these times. But that comes with public interaction, even in these times of a so-called “surge” according to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. Precautions are taken with gloves, masks and extra care, but uncertainty remains. 
That is only one type of uncertainty that NECC students must and will have to continue to deal with. “What happens when the semester ends?” asked sophomore Xavier Rhodes of Lawrence. “I thought I had a summer job all lined up. Now that’s up in the air. If I don’t make money this summer, I’m not sure how I am going to pay for school.” 
With so many people unemployed due to the pandemic, work could be hard to find for college students. The governor has not spoken of exactly when the area would open, meaning getting back to business. Simply put, this virus may not physically have a huge impact on students. Still, the emotional, financial and mental impact has been and could continue to be vicious. 
Sports

Baseball team looks to the future

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Coronavirus changed life for college students from coast to coast this spring. At Northern Essex Community College, it silenced the national power baseball team, coached by Jeff Mejia, taking a season of opportunity away as the coach was ready to add his son, also named Jeff to the Knights baseball roster.  This season, the home fields on Lake Kenoza will remain dormant.
  
The setback has not stopped Mejia from working hard to keep the run of trips to NJCAA Nationals intact, even with the off year. He recently announced three key recruits being added to his already expected-to-be loaded roster.  
The first to commit was Manchester Central High School’s slick Kevin Rodriguez. An all-state shortstop, who hit .375 for Central a year ago and swings a left-handed bat. He has an above-average arm according to Prep Baseball Report of New England.
“Proud to announce my commitment,” said Rodriguez. “It’s a big pickup for the Knights,” said coach Mejia via Twitter. 
 The Knights again went over the border for another key recruit, Kameron Levesque. He is an outfielder from Pinkerton Academy of Derry, who hit .302 as a junior. Levesque is a multi-sport talent who also plays hockey. He expects to add depth in a crowded, talented outfield group.  “Welcome to the family,” coach Mejia told Levesque.  
The ultimate gem of the class could be Saugus pitcher Todd Tringale, who graduated high school in 2019. A 6-foot right-hander, Tringale originally attended UMass Amherst as a top recruit. He spent last summer in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, an honor for only the premier incoming college freshmen. Pitching mainly out of the bullpen for the North Shore Navigators, who play in Lynn, Tringale was 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA. In his only playoff appearance, he went four shutout innings in a loss to the Bristol, Conn. Blues. “I’m excited to see where this journey takes me and what the final outcome will be,” said Tringale.  
Mejia and the Knights now hope to be back to work as soon as September, barring any coronavirus flareups, with the all-important fall training season. It is clearly a huge time for NECC baseball, which has won NJCAA Division III Region 21 in seven of the last eight seasons. The highlight of highlights being in 2018 when the Knights also took the District F Championship.