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Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student news organization since 1899

 

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Professor Hao Phan holds up a palm leaf manuscript. Palm leaf manuscripts were first created in the 5th century, BC. (Katie Follmer | Northern Star)

Palm-leaf books and authorship analysis

By Caleb Johnson, Lifestyle Writer | February 4, 2024

Books and literature are fundamental to the exploration of human communication and language. By looking at cross-cultural examples of book-making and publishing processes, we gain a unique understanding of each other.  At noon on Thursday, faculty...

Junior special education majors Desiree Hancock (from left), Alix Sommers and Nicholas Hays talk as they walk past Cole Hall. The trio spent time discussing Arizona to help avoid thinking about the cold. (Nick Glover | Northern Star)

IN PICTURES: Cold weather fashion at NIU

By Nick Glover, Lifestyle Editor | January 22, 2024

As DeKalb’s cold wave comes to an end, NIU students are still bundled up to fight against frozen fingers.  Scarves, heavy coats and snow boots adorn those walking from class to class.  Here are some photos that show the fashion items students...

Avantika (from left), Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp and Bebe Wood pose with a camera on the set of Mean Girls. The 2024 release is an adaptation of a musical which itself is adapting an earlier film. (Jojo Whilden/Paramount via AP)

A guide to sitting through ‘Mean Girls’

By Nick Glover, Lifestyle Editor | January 21, 2024

“Mean Girls” was a terrible movie ... and I loved it. Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not one of those movies where I like it in spite of all of the abhorrent things wrong with it.  No, I liked it because of everything wrong with it. To...

Holt McCallany (from left), Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simons and Harris Dickinson stand in a circle. The group of actors make up the main cast of The Iron Claw. (Brian Roedel | A24)

‘The Iron Claw’: not wrestling film

By Nick Glover, Lifestyle Editor | January 17, 2024

When it comes to film, I tend not to like the most masculine ones out there. I thought “The Godfather” was an objectively great movie, but I don’t really care for it. Westerns are my least favorite genre; I would much rather watch a good noir-romance.  So,...

A version of the Taylor Swifts album Midnights has the photo of Swift replaced with President Joseph Biden. Bidens presidency seems to match the Midnights era. (Nick Glover | Northern Star)

US presidents as Taylor Swift eras

By Angelina Padilla-Tompkins, Editor-in-Chief | January 16, 2024

U.S. presidents and Taylor Swift: not a comparison you see every day, but surprisingly many presidents do line up with at least one of her many eras. Each era of U.S. presidents can be connected to one of Swift’s 10 eras, some a bit more obvious than...

Students of NIUs School of Theatre and Dance pose during the schools fall 2023 dance concert. This semesters dance concert is one of five shows the School of Theatre and Dance will put on this semester. (Courtesy of Andy Dolan)

Theater, dance productions to occur spring 2024

By Caleb Johnson, Lifestyle Writer | January 15, 2024

Be swept away by devilish deals, or if you're up to it, listen to others' experiences dealing with anxiety. From fresh new plays to student showcases, the School of Theatre and Dance has something for everyone this upcoming season.  “Anxious People!”  Written...

A man in a red robe stares out onto a messy yard. Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi play opposite each other in the disturbing film Saltburn. (Amazon Prime Video via AP)

‘Saltburn,’ scandalous, sexy, startling

By Lindsay Curtis, Lifestyle Writer | December 3, 2023

“Saltburn” is like a “good for her” movie except there is no female lead, and it’s just Barry Keoghan playing another little freak with emotional problems.  Directed by Emerald Fennell, “Saltburn” has been trending on TikTok in the weeks...

A display shows four jars of food sitting next to each other. This is a small section of the “Good Food” exhibit that shows the perseveration process of food and instructions on how to preserve your own food. (Sasha Norman | Northern Star)

Good Food exhibit serves up resources

By Jonathan Shelby, Lifestyle Writer | November 28, 2023

DeKALB – The Pick Museum of Anthropology’s “Good Food” exhibit presents information about food insecurity, food resources in DeKalb, what “Good Food” means to different people and more.  The exhibit was organized by curators Annalisa Amber,...

Julia Stiles sits in a chair in front of Heath Ledger in the movie poster for 10 Things I Hate About You. Stiles and Ledgers characters are one of several swoon-worthy on-screen couples. (Courtesy of Flickr)

Poll: Most romantic on-screen couples

By Tamya Burch, Social Media Coordinator | November 27, 2023

From “13 Going On 30” to “The Twilight Saga,” pop culture has been intertwined with the imaginary love lives of romantic movie characters. These on-screen couples make the idea of love seem real and attainable to a hopeless romantic audience.  Romantic...

A statue of Luigi and Daisy stand on top a fountain. Mario Kart 8s new DLC recently got its last update. (Courtesy of YouTube)

A heartwarming end to Mario Kart 8

By Jonathan Shelby, Lifestyle Writer | November 26, 2023

On Nov. 9, Mario Kart 8 for the Nintendo Switch received what seems to be its final DLC update, which added in more than just eight new courses.  On top of the new race tracks, this recent update included four new characters those being Peachette,...

A golden bird and snake sit behind The Hunger Games title. The new Hunger Games film is out in theaters and is based on the book of the same name by Suzanne Collins. (Courtesy of YouTube)

‘Hunger Games’ prequel, the corruption of Snow

By Sarah Rose, Assistant Lifestyle Editor | November 20, 2023

Editor's note: This review contains major spoilers for “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” Set 64 years before the original Hunger Games films, “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” follows 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow...

Rapper André 3000 performing on stage at the RocknHeim Rock Festival. His new album New Blue Sun is his first album in 20 years. (Wikimedia Commons)

André 3000’s ‘New Blue Sun’ calms, terrifies

By Nick Glover, Lifestyle Editor | November 18, 2023

André 3000 may be one of the most influential musicians to the state of music today, and fans have been waiting for his first solo record since he first arrived on the scene in the early ‘90s. André 3000’s new album, “New Blue Sun,” released...