New Residence Hall: PASS.

We’re giving NIU a passing grade to the new residence hall they want to build.

Let’s face it: NIU cannot mark its housing as its strong suit. No prospective freshman is going to go back home and rave to their parents, “I want to live in Grant South!”

NIU needs to compete with other universities, and housing is one of the ways it can do so.

This seems to be a bit of a gamble. NIU faces an uncertain financial future, even though an outside group would technically own the residence hall for, at the most 40 years. But NIU needs to do something to compete.

Now, all it needs is a name. Hastert Hall has a nice ring to it.

Writer’s Block: FAIL.

Have you ever tried to write something, anything, and nothing seems to come out? You have an idea, but you don’t know how to put it together.

Here’s a failing grade to writer’s block.

It happens to all of us at the most inconvenient moments, like the night before an essay is due, or on deadline.

There are some things you can do. Take a break; walk around, talk to someone, do something to get your creative juices going.

Because in the end, that’s all you have. Hopefully, you’ll get lucky and think of a cop out. Everyone else, good luck.