NIU students are relieved to hear the fighting has ended but many have mixed feelings and apprehensions.

“The war part, the actual fighting, I feel is over,” said Brian Schleeter, 22, a mechanical engineering major.

Most students, in fact, said they feel the war is over and ome said they were happy the troops suffered so few casualties.

For some, the war’s end has a very personal meaning.

Twenty-two-year-old Rachael Redoble, a merchandising major, said, “I hope it is (over). My fiance is waiting for his orders.”

Upon hearing the news that the fighting stopped, 20-year-old medical technology major Deanna Novak said she cried because her fiance is also in the Persian Gulf.

Some students said they were encouraged by reports stating U.S. commander General Norman Schwarzkopf said both Iraqis and coalition forces “agreed on all matters” leading to a permanent truce, including the release of all prisoners of war.

Most students said the war effort was worth it, but there are those who still are skeptical.

“I was a little hesitant at first but in the end it was the right thing to do,” said 20-year-old Dave Childers, a medical technology major.

“The UN declared it. I felt everyone should have been over there,” said mechanical engineering major Ron Ruggles, 23.

I think it will only be worth it if we can put (Saddam Hussein) out of power,” said Sharon Hauger, 23, a dietetics major.

“Europe really came together,” said 23-year-old music major Lisanne Melchior, who added that there were other good things coming as a result of the war.

“I think it was right. I think it was wise to stop Hussein,” she said.

Almost all students said Hussein needed to be stopped. Many also said Hussein should be forced out of power and some said they thought he is crazy.

However, French major Joe Mai, 22, said he doubted whether the war should have been fought at all.

“I didn’t think we accomplished anything. If we did it for oil, it wasn’t worth it,” Mai said.

Students said they think the troops will be arriving back from the Middle East anytime within the next few weeks to the middle of the summer.

Some students said the United States’ role in the crisis will be expanded because of their efforts to help rebuild Kuwait and reverse the damaging ecological effects of the war.

Medical technology major Mae Tozzi, 21, said she is saddened by the ecological damage.

“Hopefully there’s enough experts to deal with it,” Tozzi said.