To learn many things in a short time - such as many tasks in a new job. People find the first day a little overwhelming.

The meaning itself does not change, but the expression could be used in different contexts, including emotional, academic, or even weather. "The sun is dazzling today. It's a little overwhelming."

"A little overwhelming" is commonly used by people who experience something that they cannot comfortably deal with, whether from a physical or mental point of view. The experience might be a fundamentally negative one, but there are also cases where the experience might have been generally positive if not for its intensity. Examples of a generally negative experience might be; I found the smell a little overwhelming. I found the sight of the blood a little overwhelming Examples of an experience that might otherwise have been positive. I found their hospitality a little overwhelming. Her kindness was a little overwhelming.