Pennies are usually never paid attention to. You may see them on the pavement, roads, floors and anywhere basically. Even inside the trash and a lot of people don’t bother to pick them up. 

Though their value doesn’t run any shorter than one cent, it means nothing to many persons. 

It IS worth nothing to a growing number within the nations. 

In fact, among this growing number are the homeless and poor people. 

While some consider a penny to be good luck, others may have a collection. 

You may find that picking up every penny you see can be time-consuming maybe that’s the reason people don’t bother picking them up.

Yet we all know there’s plenty of people that toss their “pennies” or “change” after buying something.  

As the years pass and inflation, tarrifs, and minimum wage increases, pennies are almost irrelevant with how much currency has evolved.

Prices typically range from one cent less than a whole number. For example, one dollar and ninety nine cents, ten dollars and ninetynine cents, or one hundred ninetynine dollars and ninetynine cents. 

On November 12 of 2025, the U.S. Treasury stopped producing new pennies and the banks stopped distributing them shortly after becasue of inventory shortage. 

This leads to questions such as, should pennies remain under legal tender if they are being phased out? 

Should prices still end in ninetynine cents or cents that don’t add up to five or ten, etc?

On my recent visits to stores, I was not given my full amount of change after my transaction. I was told that the reason is because the bank is no longer giving out pennies. 

Could the view of pennies valuing so little mean that people are’nt worth recieving their full change back? 

This poses a greater question about whether the “losing pennies” from folks pockets are adding up for merchants and claimed by the government. 

I deem that soon in time the government will come up with a solution to the current dysfunctional legality of transaction and prices, since what all merchants are going to do is round their prices up. 

The government has to answer to people loosing money every time they shop because they aren’t getting it back. 

Sure maybe once or twice may not be a big deal but everytime people go shopping the same will happen. 

Considering that not everyone uses digital wallets or cards to pay for their purchases. 

One, ten, or a hundred pennies from different shopping visits from one person may not seem a big deal to people but when you add up more than fourtyfive percent of the U.S. population using cash to pay in 2026, that’s a great deal of pennies adding up to aproximately one million and fiftyseven hundred thousand dollars. 

That’s just one penny from each person, now considering as many times each person goes shopping using cash during this dysfunctional legal moment, that sum is literally mulpilied surely in a large, greater number. 

Who’s benefiting from our money, will they pay us back? I believe the government can be utterly delusional but this is calling scam or scheme. 

Should school introduce a new way to keep classes going during any kind of event or unexpected weather that forces the institution to close, should teachers start resorting to “zoom classes” especially during snow days? 

Like the time of the Covid 19 pandemic, all classes were online?

Some teachers allow students to join the in-person class through zoom if they can’t make it or have a good reason for not being there in person. 

Since the snow storms began back in January this spring semester, Northern Essex Community College has  had their full share in postponing classes, programs activities, meetings, events, and so much more. 

This doesn’t always mean a break for students as some professors won’t extend due dates even if class was cancelled for a longer than usual period of time. 

Complications do result from the stressed time and “classroom lag”, as it is important for in-person to meet every single time since not all courses use blackboard or bright space as a learning station but it is used for students to just turn in assignments. 

While many students can relate that it is a struggle when in-person learning and interactions with their teachers and other peers does impact their overall grade and performance. 

Nobody comes in a school already knowing what to do, rather they come prepared especially with the necessary materials if they have them. 

Another problem that’s impacted many students is they lack the resources they need such as enough money to buy proper durable course materials including a reliable laptop. 

What’s the point in receiving around three to four hundred dollars in financial aid and maybe a scholarship just to buy a refurbished laptop under two hundred fifty dollars that won’t last two even semesters but instead last six months or even less? 

Then the burden of the not so expensive carry on computer becomes double when the device stops functioning. 

Even visiting BOTH of the college campus libraries  in Haverhill and Lawrence, all laptops that are for students to borrow are taken. 

As things change throughout the semesters, it seems students are now allowed to take out laptops for the entire semester. 

While it use to be that all borrowing students had to return the laptop within two to five days, this new plan does affect so many students like those who have emergencies. 

This futility is seen as a depression where neither the money the student is receiving is going to a purpose that will help them and neither the school can help them when all other plans fail. 

So then by the time the student may be very affected academically, it is a strive against the wind because it can be less likely that they will keep receiving financial aid or scholarships to help them receive money that they need. 

Even the number of classes they take and programs they participate in can be limited.

Visiting tutors are on the average students to do list. Tutoring comes in handy when subjects can become difficult to understand or when assignments or homework that must meet specific requirements are a little more complex than expected. The NECC’s tutoring centers at both campuses in Lawrence and Haverhill do provide free services for all students during the semesters.

It is a good idea for students to take advantage of the one-on-one in-person help. Also available for students on Blackboard is ThinkingStorm, an academic support program that provides free online access to live, one-on-one assistance from trained and qualified tutors.

This is an easier service to use as it simply requires the student to submit their work and within 24 hours a tutor will review it and send it back to them.

This online tutoring service may be more convenient for many students who are taking online or hybrid classes.

The tutoring center has both staff tutors and peer tutors, being an academic support system by not just professional teachers or advisors but also encouraging student-to-student help. While many students take up the opportunity of this free service in-person or online when they can, it doesn’t mean that all students have the time for in-person help.

Some students may have limited access to the 24-hour virtual service due to non-sufficient access to internet outside of campus or at home. Having a time-management list and priority list is what every student needs in order to set their main tasks aside and get to them all in time, this can be beneficial in helping students get to other important things they should do aside from homework and studying, like stopping by the tutor center for an hour or more. A lot of times students may prioritize the wrong or less important things like hanging out with friends or watching their favorite TV show.

Studies have shown that making better decisions like substituting events or chores with homework and studying or sacrificing designated time for oneself or time for having fun with setting time to better one’s academic status.

Though some students may already be helping others through tutoring, I believe that a mentorship for all programs could be a big help in getting students on track and meeting their needs.

The college only has so many counselors and there aren’t enough advisors to attend to the many students that need to speak with or meet with them daily. If the college can come up with a program that allows for staff and students to pair up and mentor other students, I think it would really benefit and motivate students!