The Vignette ~ Fall 2025 Issue 8

Issue 8

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December 2025

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EDITORIAL BOARD Sean Wright

EDITORIAL

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Editor-In-Chief

Meet the New Editor-In-Chief

Shanice Brown

Dear Readers, As we wrap up the semester and head into the holiday season, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who made this issue possible. From our writers and editors to our readers, your support and dedication continue to bring this paper to life.

This semester was full of growth, learning, and hard work, and we are proud of what we accomplished together. As we move into the holidays, I hope everyone takes time to rest, reflect, and recharge. On behalf of the editorial team, we wish you a happy holiday season and a restful break. We look forward to welcoming you back in the new semester.

Managing Editor

Sade Mitchell

Advertising & Business Manager

Emily Scheibeler

Opinions Editor/staff writer

Nicola Alvarez Photographer

Chris Jean

Graphic Designer

Raynor Robinson

Copy Editing Manager

FACULTY ADVISOR Adeline Mucci

The Vignette is the official student newspaper and student voice of Nassau Community College. It is published throughout the fall and spring semesters.

Membership is open to all NCC students. The Vignette welcomes letters to the editor as well as Opinions articles. Letters should be limietd to 350 words. Opinions essays should be limited to 700 words. Letters and Opinions pieces must be signed and contain the author’s telephone number or campus extension. The newspaper will withhold names on request. The editorial board reserves the right to edit stories or letters for clarity and length. Views expressed in letters and Opinions essays do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board The Vignette accepts classified and display advertisements from campus and off-campus advertisers. Publication of ads in the newspaper does not imply endorsement of products or services.

Address: Vignette Nassau Community College College Center Building, Rm. 347 Garden City, NY 11530 Telephone: (516) 222-7071 nccvignette@gmail.com thevignetteatncc.com

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FEATURES

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Challenges Faced, Strength Gained, Nassau County Five Years Post COVID

By Sade Mitchell Business Manager

Five years after COVID changed daily life, Nassau County and communities across New York continue to feel its lasting effects. The pandemic disrupted schools, graduations, workplaces, and local businesses, altering routines and weakening social connections. Many residents experienced job loss or reduced income, and the ongoing rise in inflation has increased the cost of essentials such as groceries, housing, and transportation. These financial pressures added new stress for individuals and families already working to regain stability. The effects of the pandemic are also evident in mental and physical health. Anxiety, depression, and post pandemic fatigue remain common, while some residents continue to experience long COVID symptoms, including fatigue, respiratory difficulties, and cardiovascular concerns. Delays in Photo provided by: FOX31 KDVR.com healthcare during the pandemic exposed gaps in access, leading to an increased reliance on telehealth services, mental wellness programs, and stress management initiatives in schools and workplaces. Despite these challenges, Nassau County has demonstrated resilience.

Communities, businesses, and individuals have adapted, rebuilt, and found new ways to support one another. While the pandemic tested strength and stability, it also revealed the ability to grow through hardship. Five years later, the county stands more connected, more resourceful, and prepared to move forward together. “Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back when you achieve the inevitable and survive something you thought you couldn’t.” ~Sade Mitchell

By Shanice Brown Managing Editor

FEATURES Moments That Defined 2025

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Before we turn the page and step into a new year, let’s take a moment to pause. In the middle of busy schedules, deadlines, and constant movement, it is easy to forget how much has happened and how much we have grown. This year was not only defined by academic milestones, but by the moments in between. The quiet ones, the challenging ones, and the unexpected ones that shaped our experience as students and as a campus community.

2025 brought moments of celebration and moments of pressure. There were days filled with laughter, connection, and pride, and there were days that tested patience, resilience, and strength. For many students, this year meant balancing classes with work, family responsibilities, personal goals, and uncertainty about what comes next. Even so, students showed up. They kept going. They supported one another and found ways to create community in both large gatherings and small, meaningful interactions. As the year comes to a close and the holiday season begins, this is a chance to reflect rather than rush ahead. To acknowledge growth, recognize challenges, and appreciate the moments that defined 2025. Whether this year brought success, struggle, or something in between, it leaves us with lessons and memories worth holding onto as we move forward.

Photo on this page is provided by: NCC..EDU

FEATURES

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FEATURES

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Photos on this page by: NCC.EDU

SUBMISSION

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Ending the semester should feel like relief, not recovery

By Shanice Brown

Managing Editor

As the semester comes to an end, many students expect to feel proud, relieved, or even excited. Instead, a lot of us feel exhausted in a way that goes beyond being tired. When finals are over and assignments are submitted, the first emotion is not celebration. It is often the need to recover. That feeling says a lot about what the semester demands from students and how little space there is to slow down along the way.

Throughout the semester, students are constantly balancing more than just classes. Many are working long hours, commuting, helping family members, or dealing with personal challenges that are invisible in the classroom. Even students who love learning can feel overwhelmed when deadlines pile up and expectations remain high week after week. There is rarely a moment to pause and reflect on progress. The focus is always on what comes next.

By the time finals arrive, stress becomes normalized. Late nights, lack of sleep, anxiety, and burnout are treated as expected parts of the college experience. Students push through because they feel they have no other choice. When the semester finally ends, the relief is real, but it is heavy. Instead of feeling accomplished, many students feel drained, mentally and emotionally.

That is not how finishing something meaningful should feel.

Holiday break is supposed to be a time to rest, reconnect, and reset. However, recovery suggests something deeper than rest. It suggests that students are entering break depleted rather than fulfilled. When the first weeks of time off are spent catching up on sleep or trying to regain motivation, it becomes clear that the academic system often values productivity more than well being.

This does not mean that college should be easy or without challenge. Growth requires effort.

But there is a difference between being challenged and being pushed to the point of burnout.

Small changes like clearer communication, more realistic pacing, and flexibility during peak stress periods could help students end the semester feeling supported instead of worn down.

Ending the semester should be a moment to look back and recognize how much we learned and how far we came. It should feel like closure, not collapse. As students head into the holidays, they deserve to feel proud of their work and hopeful moving forward. Ending the semester should feel like relief, not recovery.