As the semester comes to a close and many students are preparing for their final exams or projects, many are feeling overwhelmed with everything they are having to manage, but at the same time, students are also feeling excited because a break is in their near future.

NECC student, Isa Grullon, is currently feeling very overwhelmed having to juggle obligations at college including her final projects between the two courses she is taking, alongside her personal obligations including her job working for Mass General Hospital in Boston. “It’s a very hectic time,” explained Grullon.

Grullon, who started out the semester taking three courses, became very overwhelmed very quickly because of the added pressures of keeping up with extra college work. As a result of this, Gullon made the difficult decision to withdraw from her Introduction to Film Studies course.

Although Grullon expressed her disappointment in making this decision, she explained that is was probably the right thing to do since the additional stress was taken off her plate. According to Grullon, “It was the right thing to do looking back because I would have just been too overwhelmed.”

Although Grullon did not reference any current final projects she is working on, she referenced a PowerPoint presentation she recently completed for her Public Relations course about the Merrimack Valley Gas Disaster. She explained she had a very difficult time getting through this project because of all the emotions that came rushing back after reflecting back upon her experiences in this disaster.

NECC student, Brendan Davies, on the other hand, is feeling the exact opposite. Davies currently feels very good about how he is doing in his courses.

He feels his grades are in a good place, too. “I am relieved the semester is ending,” explained Davies, when reflecting back upon his experiences this semester.