Observer Department: Opinion
Raising awareness for those suffering with CRPS
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 20.4% of U.S. adults (50.2 million people) experienced chronic pain in 2019. This means that about 1 in 5 adults in the United States lives with chronic pain, according to the CDC. Conditions such as complex regional…
X marks the spot
In response to The Observer’s shout-out in their October 9th issue about older students coming to NECC for educational opportunities, I want to shout back about how great NECC has been for us oldies who have ventured back into classrooms. I began my studies for my Associates in 2021 (which…
Major decisions: Tools to help you explore
Picking your major can feel like a defining moment. It might feel like you’re choosing your whole career with one decision. The truth is, you have options. Your major and career path are not a straight line, it probably looks more like a zig-zagging road, with many unnamed side streets.…
Learning with a disability
There are many types of disabilities that people must cope with. The challenge is how they cope with it in their everyday lives. Having a disability is a work in progress, especially with someone who has a learning disability, and I am one of them. All my life, going through…
Free speech is no longer free
The First Amendment protects freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government. It guarantees Americans can express their ideas, gather with others, and voice concerns to the government without fear of retaliation or punishment from the…
Current state of free speech: Free speech and college campuses across the U.S.
Many are concerned about the current state of free speech in the United States. There have been demands made of private institutions and criticisms of those who are speaking of their own volition. There are even concerns about the freedom of the press being under fire, and the current presidential…
A call to my peer students
For the ones graduating this semester, Congratulations! You made it here with a lot of effort and determination, and probably with extra liters of coffee, and several hours of sleep deprivation. For the first generation students, allow yourself a double pat on your shoulder. You learned how to navigate your…
On the death of Pope Francis
As we mourn the death of Pope Francis, we should remember his address to Congress on September 24, 2015, in which he called to mind four Americans who epitomized “a way of seeing and interpreting reality [enabling us] to draw upon our deepest cultural reserves.” Understandably, the first figure was…
Trump’s tariff tumult: Attack on small businesses caused by trade policies
As new tariffs are being imposed and re-upped by the Trump administration, many small businesses are taking a hit and having to front hefty costs when it comes to manufacturing their product and having it sent to the U.S. to be distributed. President Donald Trump has recently imposed tariffs on…
Title IX ruling will come at a cost
The NECC coordinators of Human Resources, Labor Relations, and Affirmative Action released a college-wide statement via email in March, detailing the intent of NECC to comply with executive orders and recent court rulings on the enforcement of Title IX in institutions of higher education nation-wide. In the early afternoon of…
