All posts by Olivia Hansen, Correspondent

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Why students continue to take online classes

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COVID-19 has altered the ways that individuals approach education.

One of these things that have changed is the prominence of online classes. Even now, when in-person courses are up and running, many people still opt to take their classes virtually.

One of these students is Avery Hochheiser, an early college student at Northern Essex Community College (NECC).

Hochheiser is taking Journalism I and Honors Seminar online this spring. She has been working towards an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts Writing for the past two years, exclusively taking classes online.

As a high school student, if she had to take courses in person, they may conflict with her high school schedule and prevent her from finishing her degree. In addition, she didn’t have her driver’s license last year, so she would have had to be dependent on her parents to take her to these classes.

Overall, without online courses, Hochheiser would not have been able to make it as far as she has in her degree and most likely would not have the opportunity to complete it.

Cassidy Smith, an Early College student at NECC, is taking classes so she will be able to transfer them to the college she goes to in the future.

Since Smith’s schedule is packed with her high school classes like AP US History and AP Language, she doesn’t have the time to drive to NECC to take courses during the school day.

She is also frequently swamped after school with extracurriculars and work, which would complicate taking nighttime classes. She expressed that Hansen 2 she was very grateful for online courses since they allowed her to further her education without it complicating her life too much.

Gianna McKeown is another early college student at NECC. She is currently taking English Composition II and Accounting. Her experience with online classes has been a positive one.

Though she says she misses seeing her teachers in person, she is grateful for how involved and willing to communicate most of her online teachers have been.

She also noted that the discussion posts that are a part of most of her classes have allowed her to stay connected with her fellow classmates and feel like a part of the community.

If students are interested in taking classes online, they can go to the course search tool on the NECC website and add a filter for 100% online classes.

Registration for summer classes is still open, and classes start on May 16 and run until June 24.

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After Earth Day: How to continue to care for the planet all year long

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A hand holding a small green plant
Photo courtesy pexels.com

Earth Day was celebrated by people all over the country on April 22. Some commemorated the holiday by attending Earth Day rallies, attending beach cleanups, or, of course, posting the collage of the most beautiful pictures of the Earth.

While celebrating the earth is great, the attitude of saving the Earth must carry through the entire year.

In other words, “Treat every day like Earth Day.”

To keep the Earth looking just as beautiful as it does in the Instagram collages, everyone needs to become more conscious of how their actions impact the planet.

A simple way to become more eco-conscious is to educate ourselves.

This allows us to become more aware of the fragility of our environment and how important it will be to continue to protect it.

There are many ways to get educated; one is to watch documentaries.

This one can be a fun activity, and two, extremely beneficial to our understanding of the Earth.
Cassidy Smith, a Northern Essex Community College Early College student, shared that she became more aware of her recycling during Earth Day and hoped to continue this throughout the year.

She is also interested in starting to compost this year. Compost not only reduces landfill space but also can provide soil for gardens rich in nutrients.

Composting does not have to be complicated or even done by yourself. For example, Black Earth Compost is a company near

Smith that picks up compost in a bin, just like a trash truck would do on trash day.

This makes saving the environment accessible and convenient.

Avery Hocheiser, a NECC Early College student, became vegan this year and was especially conscientious of how this impacted the Earth on Earth Day.

Going vegan is an extreme change, and it is not realistic for many people; however, being conscious of our meat intake and attempting to cut it down when possible could greatly help the environment.

A New York Times article titled “What if We All Ate a Bit Less Meat” by Jillian Mock shared that according to a study by the journal Scientific Reports, if everyone in America reduced their consumption of meat by 25% and substituted it with plant-based proteins, 82 million metric tons of greenhouse gases would be saved per year. This reduction is a little more than 1 percent.

Just adding a meatless Monday into the weekly meal plan can help the environment and make you more aware of the impact of meat.

As discussed above, there are also many interesting documentaries to watch about meat’s impact on the environment that could help to increase an understanding of the topic.

One simple thing that Gianna McKeown, an Early College student at NECC, does to help the environment is to bring reusable bags to the store.

Sometimes it can be challenging to remember to bring them with you, so leaving them in the trunk of your car will make you more likely to use them in place of the single-use bags they provide you at the store.

McKeown also shared that she likes to carpool to limit her car usage.

Even better than that, if something is within walking distance, she opts for that, allowing her to get some exercise and reduce her carbon footprint.

Walking will become a great option, especially as the temperatures continue to change.

Overall, the changes made in our lives can be as small as bringing bags to a grocery store to as large as going vegan; both bring us one step closer to helping the environment.

The most important thing is that our work doesn’t stop after April 22, and we continue to do our best to care for our home.

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How students’ lives have changed without masks

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On Wednesday, March 9 the presidents of Massachusetts’ fifteen community colleges released a statement announcing that the college campuses would transition to mask optional environments.  NECC announced that as of March 21 its campuses would be mask optional.

After almost two years of wearing masks, this transition was a big change for many students.

After about two weeks without masks, students are sharing how this adjustment has impacted their lives.

One of these students is Maddie Marshall, a dual enrollment student at Northern Essex Community College (NECC).

Marshall stated, “It is a relief after two years of COVID to get back to some form of normalcy. I feel like I am able to interact with people better and it is nice to get to see people smile.”

Gianna McKeown, a dual enrollment student at NECC, agreed with the importance of seeing others’ smiles.

She added, “The lifting of the mask mandate allows for non-verbal communication that has been lacking throughout the pandemic.”

There are many positives that come with the lifting of the mask mandate, however, the shift from masks to no masks was rapid.

Quick transitions can always be challenging and can be anxiety-inducing for some students.

Avery Hochheiser, a dual enrollment student at NECC, initially chose to keep wearing her mask when the mandate was lifted.

Hochhesier said, “At first I was a little nervous to take off my mask after it was a part of my life for so long. It gave me a sense of comfort when everything was so uncertain.”

After a few days, Hochheiser decided to take off her mask.

After taking off her mask Hochheiser said, “I felt nervous but excited to get into a new routine.”

Whether wearing a mask or not, the students all expressed that everyone had been supportive of the decision they had made.

When Avery decided to continue wearing her mask,  she stated, “The students around me respected that it was my personal choice and everyone continued to treat me with kindness.”

McKeown added that masks haven’t gone away completely and it is nice to still have them there when cold season comes around.

She said “One of the few downsides to taking off masks is a lot of people are starting to get colds again. However, the school going mask optional has allowed me to not wear one when I’m comfortable and wear one when I am sick to keep others healthy.”

All in all it is a personal decision whether or not students and teachers decide to wear a mask.

Many students have expressed that the school environment has been a supportive environment and it was comforting for many to get back to some form of normalcy. In the statement from the Massachusetts Community College Presidents they said that they would continue to “closely monitor conditions” and reserve the right to change the mask-optional status if necessary, however they are optimistic that they will not have to.

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Students share tips on fighting ‘seasonal slump’

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While many enjoy the weather that winter in New England brings, many others suffer to get the motivation to go about their regular routines. With the confinement indoors due to the cold, excitement of the holidays in the past, shorter days, and COVID restrictions, many people start to lose energy and become sluggish and less motivated. However, there are many strategies people use to help them get out of this funk, such as finding activities to focus their energy, embracing the cold weather and more.

Starting a new semester in the middle of winter can be difficult. One is not yet in the habit of completingchool work, and it is hard to step back and take a break when the weather outside makes it difficult to get fresh air.

Emily Graves, a NECC student, stated, “It’s hard to go out and be active when it is so cold, and it forces me to be inside more and leaves me with less to do and more to think about.”

Motivation can slip and it can feel hard to catch back up.

NECC student Cassidy Smith, said, “The weather literally makes me depressed. I have little to no motivation to do anything, and the cold with the gray skies amplify that feeling.”

The gloomy feeling outside can mirror in one’s moods and make it challenging to drive oneself to complete the countless assignments due.

These seasonal mood plunges have fallen even deeper in the past two years due to COVID. Not only are people staying inside to avoid the cold, but they are even further isolated due to the virus.

“I definitely think that COVID-19 has impacted the magnitude of the seasonal slump,” said Graves. It’s hard enough doing things when it’s winter out, but the pandemic has only elevated that.”

The pandemic can also fuel more stress. Many students wondering if winter will ever end, but they have also been asking the same question about COVID for the past two years.

This lack of a “light at the end of the tunnel” can result in a feeling of defeat.

However, one does not have to allow this funk to control them.

There are many strategies to bring energy and excitement back to one’s life.

NECC student Avery Hochheiser says, “I like to embrace the cold. Dress cozy and drink hot drinks.” .

Graves said she liked to do activities that made her forget how dreary it could be outside. Some of her examples included “painting, listening to music, baking and cooking.”

Smith said listening to happy music or music that reminded her of summer helped her enter a more positive mindset.

Some other tricks and tips include moving your desk towards a window to increase exposure to sunlight, staying active, getting enough sleep, and not pushing oneself too hard.

Knowing limits helps to determine what one can and cannot handle. These strategies can aid in getting through these four to five more weeks of winter until spring comes to melt the snow and lift everyone’s “seasonal slumps.”

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Best Buddies seeking members

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According to the Best Buddies website, Best Buddies is a student-run friendship club that creates buddy pairs between students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.
It offers the chance for students to have one-on-one and group friendships with others in the school committee.
The NECC chapter of Best Buddies is looking for new members this semester. It would be a fit for any students looking to make connections in an accepting and kind group and have fun with other students from NECC.
Meetings are held oncea month on the first or second Wednesday at 2 p.m. over zoom.
According to NECC student Yomerly Rodriguez, the student secretary for Best Buddies, “In a normal meeting would have a theme of a certain holiday that is close. Last meeting, we had a Valentine’s day theme, so they asked Valentine’s day trivia questions, and we played a game of Valentine’s this or that.” Rodriguez has been a member of Best Buddies since last semester and loves the community of the club and all of the new connections she has been able to make.
Lilli Baumgardner, a student at NECC and the student vice president of Best Buddies, said she is grateful for the friendships she made in the club. “This has definitely been a group of people I would love to continue to meet with even when I’m not a student at NECC anymore,” Baumgardner said,.
Baumgardner has been a part of Best Buddies since last semester and said one of her favorite things about the group was how diverse the students were; this diversity made her connections even more special.
Grace Adam, the student president of Best Buddies, has been in the club since she was in high school. She also voiced how long-lasting the friendships made in this club are. Members can either join the buddy program or join to be a part of the club as a whole.
“You don’t have to have a buddy in the group; you can just be a part of the group and go to the meetings. During these meetings, you can still do activities and events you just don’t have to have that one-on-one connection if it is too overwhelming,” Adam said. However, the buddy program is a great way to create a meaningful friendship. To be paired, one fills out an interest questionnaire to match with someone compatible with their interests. This pair will include one person with and one person without disabilities. Rodriguez stated, “If you match with someone with a disability, you can learn about it more and have a better understanding of how they live their life.”
In a time when many of our connections have been cut off due to COVID, Best Buddies can help to rebuild these connections for people with and without disabilities. “Best Buddies is a great club to make you feel like you are a part of a group that cares about you,” Rodriguez said.
The next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 9 at 2 p.m. on zoom. Learn more by joining the NECC Best Buddies Blackboard.

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Students share tips on how to fight the ‘seasonal slump’

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While many enjoy the skiing weather that winter in New England brings, many others suffer to get the motivation to go about their regular daily routines. This “seasonal slump” is especially prevalent in students. With the confinement indoors due to the cold weather, excitement of the holidays in the past, shorter days, and now COVID restrictions, many people start to lose energy and become sluggish and less motivated. However, there are many strategies people use to help them get out of this funk, such as finding activities to focus their energy, embracing the cold weather and more.

Starting a new semester in the middle of winter can be difficult. One is not yet in the habit of completing their school work, and it is hard to step back and take a break when the weather outside makes it difficult to get fresh air.

Emily Graves, a Northern Essex Community College (NECC) student, stated, “ It’s hard to go out and be active when it is so cold, and it forces me to be inside more and leaves me with less to do and more to think about.”

Due to this, motivation can slip and it can feel hard to catch back up.

Another NECC student, Cassidy Smith, said, “The weather literally makes me depressed. I have little to no motivation to do anything, and the cold with the gray skies amplify that feeling.”

The gloomy feeling outside the window can mirror in one’s moods and make it challenging to drive oneself to complete the countless assignments due.

These seasonal mood plunges have fallen even deeper in the past two years due to COVID. Not only are people staying inside to avoid the cold, but they are even further isolated due to the virus.

Graves stated, “I definitely think that COVID-19 has impacted the magnitude of the seasonal slump,” she added, “it’s hard enough doing things when it’s winter out, but the pandemic has only elevated that.”

The pandemic can also fuel more stress during this fragile time. Not only are many students wondering if winter will ever end, but they have also been asking the same question about COVID for the past two years.

This lack of a “light at the end of the tunnel” can result in a feeling of defeat.

However, one does not have to allow this funk to control them.

There are many strategies to bring energy and excitement back to one’s life.

Avery Hochheiser, another student at NECC, says, “I like to embrace the cold. Dress cozy and drink hot drinks.” Get a change in scenery and maybe visit a coffee shop to study instead of sitting at a desk in one’s bedroom. Just because it is cold out doesn’t mean it still can’t be fun. Cuddling up in a cozy sweater may not be the same thing as laying out in the sun, but it can offer a different kind of happiness that summer can’t provide.

Focusing on the positives and what you can do can help pull one out of a negative mindset. Graves said she liked to do activities that made her forget how dreary it could be outside. Some of her examples included “painting, listening to music, baking and cooking.”

Smith also agreed that listening to happy music or music that reminded her of summer helped her enter a more positive mindset.

Some other tricks and tips include moving your desk towards a window to increase exposure to sunlight, staying active, getting enough sleep, and not pushing oneself too hard. It is a difficult time of the year, regardless of COVID, so knowing limits helps to determine what one can and cannot handle. These strategies can aid in getting through these four to five more weeks of winter until spring comes to melt the snow and lift everyone’s “seasonal slumps.”