The new emphasis towards online learning in the wake of what we hope will be the final stretch of the pandemic, is different for a large majority of students. Northern Essex recently informed their students that they would continue to proceed with classes almost entirely online throughout the spring semester and available winter courses.

Now in December, NECC students are in the home stretch of classes and will soon enter the final week of the fall semester. Registry for spring and winter courses are available. With a taste of strictly online college courses under their belt, how do NECC students feel about the extension of online learning?

Tatiana Matrille, 18, majoring in liberal arts last semester, was asked her opinion of the online class experience via Facetime.

“I don’t mind it as much as I first did. There were times it was really stressful in all my classes; it was hard to get myself back in school mode. I’ve developed strategies and routines that help me get my work done, and I’ll definitely need to follow them into next semester,” said Matrille

“I didn’t have a lot of motivation at first, but I started to realize I had to get it done. But, I have decided to change my major, I didn’t enjoy some of the classes I was taking” she added

Matrille stated that she did in fact declare a new major, abandoning liberal arts for exercise science for next semester. Matrille did also make clear she would not be opposed to in-person classes, but she has grown more comfortable with the idea of online courses than when she initially started.

The first-year college student says she spends usually six sometimes seven days doing chunks of homework most weeks. “When we first really started getting work, I could not keep up, and part of me considered I have to drop this class, drop out, something, I just didn’t want to feel that constant stress anymore. But as I started to complete things, I would keep reminders of how I approached getting that work done,” explained Matrille.

She added “I found that breaking my work into a couple hours everyday instead of all day for a couple days was a plan that worked. I don’t love having to do school almost every day, even on weekends, but doing a little each day has worked out better than doing a ton on a couple days and worrying about it the days I didn’t.”

This has become a common perception amongst a number of students. While the online experience was new to them, they were forced to adapt, many still struggling to do so in certain aspects, thus a group of students have developed methods of survival in terms of grades and classwork.

Louis Dimopolous, 18, majoring in Computer Science, supports the other side of the argument, who is not excited the courses will proceed to be online.

“It’s so much harder. I knew most of my work would have been computer based anyways, so I didn’t think being online wouldn’t really matter to me. But is is harder, trying to just kind of teach everything to yourself, and understand it on your own, stay on top of your schedule and workload without a teacher saying things out loud, or even just being able to look and see what people around you are doing, you don’t have that online,” said Dimopolous via FaceTime.

Dimopolous also added he was eager to get inside the campus, stating “I still have only been inside a couple times, some buildings or areas not at all. It doesn’t feel like you really get all the features even of a community college when things are solely online.”

While some have found their routes to success amidst the challenge, it seems a majority of students find the online work more challenging than it would be in a classroom. Motivation, and designing an appropriate schedule has been a challenge for many.

Jack DiTonno, 19, in his second year at NECC, majoring in business, is another student who is not looking forward to the plan to stay online, stating “I expected it, but that didn’t make me any less disappointed to hear it. It is so much harder to get everything done and done on time when you feel like you have never even been in the class. COVID concerns are rising and I don’t blame them for the decision, but it is going to be a grind, just like this past semester” said DiTonno also via FaceTime.

DiTonno also mentioned that getting help with classwork was easier when the campus was open. “When you’re in a classroom you can ask the teacher or someone next to you brief questions just to clarify something, things you feel stupid sending an email about. It was easier if you were struggling with your classes too, you could just walk into advising and sit down with someone who can point things out and explain things to you, that entire process takes longer and is less effective when done virtually”

With a similar outlook for next semester, NECC students are especially looking forward to their holiday break, but not before the final projects, tests and quizzes, with due dates slowly but surely creeping forward. Students will continue to search for methods of easing the stresses associated with their online courses.

Many students have found a dip in their grades and work ethic. When the entirety of one’s exposure to a course is through a screen, it is easy to feel as though the work is less significant, and lose sight of your motivation to produce work on time and at a high level. Some students are aiming to take the next semester off, to regroup their feelings and aspirations with their classes, especially those with an undecided or second-guessed major.

All phases of education have been forced to adapt to the restrictions of the pandemic, none finding the remote or virtual experiences to be easier than the original.

College students throughout the country are facing the rapid uptick in online educating, some colleges taking their chances opening up or welcoming back the students to campus, while many choosing to cut their losses and maintain safety assurance in continuing online, this fitting the description for Northern Essex.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, students have been required to experience college life through virtual events and online curriculum.

Participating in online courses instead of in-person classes has greatly influenced the academic involvement of many — both positively and negatively.

After speaking with several NECC students, most have shared and expressed their personal feelings regarding how they’ve managed to cope with online learning and the lack of social interaction among peers and professors throughout this past semester.

“I’m so behind in a lot of my classes, but I’m just going to have to power through it,” says Isa Grullon, 34, a journalism and communications major from Lawrence, who is also the editor-in-chief of the NECC Observer.

“I miss being in a classroom with people to interact with in real time and have well-rounded discussions, as opposed to via Blackboard,” Grullon explains.

When asked if online learning is easier or more difficult for her to manage, Grullon said that she has felt more discouraged to participate because of her frustration at the “disconnected social medium.”

“I like listening to other people’s questions in case they think of something I didn’t.” she continues, “The experience is different in a Blackboard setting because it takes days for people to respond.”

Grullon also described her struggle with procrastination, as she feels it is, “A gift and a curse. I work better under pressure, but I realized I only cause myself more grief. By rushing through the process, I’m only robbing myself of the true experiences that I should be having.”

Regarding her overall impression of taking online courses, Grullon states, “It’s not for me.”

On the contrary, Finn Sparrow, 19, a journalism and communications major from Haverhill, expressed that he loves online learning more than in-person because, “I can work at my own pace and I don’t have to listen to a teacher talk for such a long time. I’ve primarily taken online classes and have been pretty successful.”

Sparrow has taken online courses at NECC since his junior year of high school and has managed to maintain a 3.5 GPA throughout the entirety of that duration.

“I’ve been able to balance work, school, and time for myself. I get everything in on time. I think the only thing that I would change is for me to be able to meet new people,” he stated.

Sparrow’s three recommendations for an improved online college experience are, “Keep up with your work, check your email, and don’t get lazy.”

Victoria Martinez, 19, a health major from Haverhill, explained how she feels overwhelmed with what’s going on in the present world. As she recently graduated from high school in May, experiencing college online has been a major transition.

Martinez finds that it is more challenging for her to remain motivated and focused because using the computer is her only source of communication.

“I don’t go on the computer every day. I would have a better chance at success by attending my classes in-person. The environment gives me motivation,” she says.

Martinez does, however, appreciate that by using Blackboard, she has access to all course work material, is visually reminded of assignments due dates, and can repeat lecture videos according to her own pace.

As the upcoming conclusion of semester-one swiftly approaches, Martinez expressed, “I’m excited for a fresh start now that I know what to expect in the future.”

The stressful habit of procrastination, wavering control of self-discipline, and the lack of social interaction and communication have been the focal struggles of which many NECC students are currently facing throughout their first semester of college online.

Nevertheless, despite adversity and an unfamiliar atmosphere for most, NECC students have successfully managed to learn and progress in a positive light — potentially looking forward to a brighter future as they now are now equipped with the knowledge and experience of this new virtual reality.