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Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student media 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

A cartoon of a woman meditating on a ball of stress. Mindfulness and You engages students to practice mindfulness by focusing their senses on their current state. (Courtesy of Getty Images)

Candy meditation aims to help students’ mental health

By Alyssa Berry, News Reporter | October 30, 2023

DeKALB – Eating candy and having a therapeutic session has never connected until now. Counseling and Consultation Services hosted a Well-o-Ween event, Mindfulness and You: Candy Meditation, consisting of eating candy while deciphering life’s challenges.  To...

Students focus on school assignments at the Procrastination Café Holmes Student Center’s Illinois Room. The Procrastination Café is open to students and NIU staff between 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday. (Joseph Howerton | Northern Star)

Procrastination Café offers aid in tackling stress

By Joseph Howerton, Video Editor | October 30, 2023

DeKALB – There’s no harm in putting off one assignment right? There is when that one assignment turns into a mountain of procrastinated work. Thankfully an NIU event aims to help students build better study habits and beat stress. The Procrastination...

Camp Kesem campers spray each other with paint bottles during a “messy game” activity. Camp Kesem is a six day overnight summer camp for kids aged 6 to 18 whose parents have experienced cancer. (Courtesy of Leah Tobben)

Kesem offers support to children of cancer patients

By Gabby Crabtree, Former News Editor | October 29, 2023

DeKALB – From expressing your emotions by talking with others in “Cabin Chats” to getting your feelings out by covering each other in paint, Camp Kesem offers a positive outlet for children whose families have been affected by cancer.  Kesem...

Multicolored microplastics are magnified under a magnifying glass. The Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability now has a new system that can identify and research microplastics. (Courtesy of Getty Images)

NICCS sees new system to battle microplastics

By Joseph Howerton, Video Editor | October 25, 2023

DeKALB – Plastic is in almost every facet of our lives; but despite this prevalence, researchers don’t know the lasting effects of microplastics and plan to find out. The Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability has acquired a new...

Students line up on Normal Road to order food after long classes on a Wednesday morning. This Wednesday is the last day of food trucks for the Fall 2023. (Ariyonna Mcgahee | Northern Star)

Last call for food trucks

By Joseph Howerton, Video Editor | October 24, 2023

DeKALB – The new staple of lunchtime at NIU, Food Truck Wednesdays, will be having its final day this week for the Fall semester. The final planned day for Food Truck Wednesday will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Wednesday. Food trucks will be parked...

Hero, a Shiba Inu, sits on a skateboard. Hero is a skating boarding dog who can be seen around NIU's campus. (Brandon Clark | Northern Star)

Skateboarding dog rolls into students’ hearts

By Brandon Clark, News Reporter | October 24, 2023

DeKALB – If you’ve second-guessed your sanity after seeing a small dog rolling down Lucinda Avenue, you can cancel your psych evaluation – it’s no hallucination. It's Hero, the skateboarding dog.  Hero’s owner, Gin Chiu, is an NIU graduate...

George Middlemist, NIU's chief financial officer stands in front of Altgeld Hall. Middlemist spoke with the Northern Star about his career at NIU. (Courtesy of George Middlemist)

Chief financial officer by day, Broncos fan by night

By Gabby Crabtree, Former News Editor | October 24, 2023

DeKALB – George Middlemist has taken on the role of vice president of Finance and Administration and chief financial officer at NIU. Middlemist spoke to the Northern Star about his journey to becoming chief financial officer and the goals he has for...

Jada Samuels holds her checks for $7,000 from the University Pitch Madness competition. Samuels is the CEO of Jada Juice, an all-natural smoothie company. (Courtesy of Jada Samuels)

Young Black student balances business, college

By Gabby Crabtree, Former News Editor | October 23, 2023

DeKALB – For a lot of students at NIU, their focus is on school and getting to the next step in life; but Jada Samuels, a junior majoring in business, is doing both at the same time.  Samuels runs a small business called Jada Juice. Jada Juice sells...

Stanley Anukwuocha speaks to the SGA senate left of Speaker Cole Hensley. SGA elected it's 2024 Spring Board of Elections. (Brandon Clark | Northern Star)

SGA looks to promote elections

By Brandon Clark, News Reporter | October 22, 2023

DeKALB – The Student Government Association elected its 2024 Spring Board of Elections on Friday. After SGA President Olivia Newman failed to appoint an election commissioner by the deadline, the SGA had no choice but to nominate candidates without...

Palestinians walk by destroyed buildings in the outskirts of Gaza city. A conflict between Israel and Hamas has been ongoing since a surprise attack on Oct.7. (Ali Mahmoud | AP)

NIU professors discuss conflict between Israel, Hamas

By Devin Oommen, News Reporter | October 20, 2023

Editor’s note: The intention of this article is to give insight into how academics at NIU are reacting and responding to the conflict. This article does not reflect the opinions of Northern Star staff.  DeKALB – As the death toll passed 5,000...

White letters say "The Real Talk Conference: Bridging Race, Identity, and Community" on red paint. The conference will feature conversations about ways to combat systematic racism and influence campus diversity from distinguished speakers. (Courtesy of Jami Kunzer)

Community gathers to discuss race on campus

By Brandon Clark, News Reporter | October 17, 2023

DeKALB – NIU is inviting the public to join the conversation on race, identity, community and the barriers that divide us.  The Real Talk Conference: Bridging Race, Identity, and Community is the first of several annual events planned as part of...