The start of the semester, heralded by the bright, cheerful optimism of cards like The Magician and The Star, often feels like a distant memory once midterms hit. At Northern Essex Community College, the initial excitement has likely given way to the heavy reality of deadlines, late-night study sessions, and the classic college challenge: burnout. If you’ve drawn a card that feels heavy or frustrating lately, you’re not alone.
Our mid-semester check-in is all about looking at where your focus and energies are being misdirected to and from, offering symbolic advice on how to persevere. Here are three more cards that perfectly capture the mental and academic struggles of the mid-semester grind:
1. The Hermit (IX) — The Card of Solitude and Focus
The Lesson for NECC: This Major Arcana card is a powerful message to step away from the noise and tune in to yourself once again. The Hermit, often shown on a mountain, represents the need for solitude and self-imposed quiet to find internal wisdom. This speaks directly to the experience of students like Chloe Fraser, who noted, “The biggest thing that’s draining my energy is trying to find balance. Whether it’s my job, side hustle, house stuff and now six different classes? I definitely put myself to the wayside”. For the NECC student, this isn’t about isolation; it’s a lesson in intentional focus. It encourages you to commit to deep, undistracted study, because the answers you seek for a difficult project or a looming choice are not external; they lie within the wisdom you gain from concentrated effort.
2. The Eight of Pentacles — The Card of Diligence and Mastery
The Lesson for NECC: This card serves as the ultimate anti-procrastination reminder. The Eight of Pentacles shows an artisan focusing intently on their work, emphasizing honest, patient effort required to master a skill. It captures the reality described by Wilmary Hernandez: “Procrastination is my biggest struggle right now… I try to tackle everything at once. I’m more of a do it all or don’t do anything at all type of person”. This card also advises any student who feels overwhelmed by a mountain of assignments that slow, steady progress is the only way forward. Stop looking at the entire course load and instead focus only on the pentacle (the task) in front of you. True academic success is built piece by piece through diligence and showing up each and every day.
3. The Five of Swords — The Card of Costly Victory and Conflict
The Lesson for NECC: The Five of Swords is all about addressing conflict, particularly one where “winning” comes at too high a cost and could be considered pyrrhic. Daniela Rivera’s experience illustrates the core of this card: “I did bomb a first test this semester, whenever I face a major disappointment? I tend to dwell on it and I seek the validation I need to move forward”. She also acknowledges the wisdom of the card, stating, “I’ve had to cut my losses plenty of times, including walking away from a toxic relationship but it did feel rewarding but also sad because I wanted it to work but I also needed to protect my peace”. This card asks: What are you sacrificing for this “win?” If you are sacrificing your peace, your relationships, or your health? It is time to walk away. Sometimes the most successful strategy is knowing when to drop the sword and prioritize your well-being.
• Counseling and Psychological Services: Available to all students, these services offer confidential, short-term counseling for stress management, anxiety, and personal issues. To make an appointment, call 978-556-3730 or email counseling@necc.mass.edu.
• Academic Advising/SOAR Program:
This program provides personalized coaching to manage academic load, major exploration, goal setting, and plans for transferring or career entry. Contact them at academiccoaching@necc.mass.edu to schedule a meeting.
• Success Workshops: Regular workshops and coaching sessions dedicated to time management, overcoming procrastination, and building crucial life skills. Check the NECC Student Success Center homepage for the latest schedule.
Conclusion: You Are the Captain
The mid-semester struggle is a universal truth for students, but the tarot’s final messages all point toward one solution: internal power. They remind us that yes, doing your due diligence is a good thing but they also remind us that sometimes we need to accept defeat and move on from a situation that no longer benefits us. Sometimes, doing so will actually benefit us in the long run.
The real test of character isn’t just about winning the battle of midterms, but about resilience. As the late, great Eddie Guerrero (1967 – 2005) once famously said, “The character of a man is judged not by how he acts when he’s on top…but by how he picks himself up after he’s been knocked down!”.
This is the central lesson for the NECC student: You are the captain of your own ship. What matters most is how you deal with what’s in front of you after accepting that things might not always work out in your favor.
The cards offer a powerful framework for self-reflection, but for tangible academic and personal support, remember that NECC’s free and confidential resources are available to help you pick yourself up, re-center, and guide your ship safely to the end of the semester.
