That time I socially distanced myself from technology and the pandemic
Jack Baudoin, Contributor
October 9, 2020
It seems no matter where you look today, you will constantly be reminded about the global pandemic. It is on the news, people are posting about it on social media.With the amount of technology that people use in a day, it will never be far from your mind. I recently had an experience that helped me es...
Editorial: Anyone can, should file FOIA requests to keep university accountable
October 7, 2020
The Illinois Attorney General’s office ruled Aug. 7 that the NIU Foundation must respond to Freedom of Information Act requests after the foundation denied at least three requests since 2016. In the aftermath of this ruling, the Northern Star editorial board thinks students should know that they can keep ...
New parking options are a great convenience for dorm residents
Parker Otto, Contributor
October 5, 2020
For years, the only option for students living in the residence halls to park their cars were the Orange lots by Grant and Stevenson Towers and New Hall. This gave students at Neptune and Gilbert Halls a disadvantage. This was until Campus Parking Services, on Sept. 18, notified students at the respec...
Enrollment increase is a positive sign for university
Jack Baudoin, Contributor
October 1, 2020
Many things have changed thanks to the global pandemic, and school is certainly one of them. When in person classes were stopped at the beginning of the pandemic, it was unclear just how much this would affect education in the country. In terms of NIU, things have been looking up for enrollment, and ...
The notorious RBG’s life and legacy is a great inspiration
Danielle Elliott, Contributor
September 30, 2020
On Sept. 18 I was on a Zoom call when my phone lit up with a notification. It read, “Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Champion of Gender Equality, Dies At 87.” My heart collapsed. As a woman interested in academia, RBG’s work is why I get to pursue my dreams. RBG’s life has inspired women like...
Virtual career fairs are still important and easily accessed
Jordan Radloff, Opinion Editor
September 25, 2020
It has been a new and unique experience for both students and administration to adjust to having interactions exclusively online this semester. Career Services has developed a way to continue hosting their career fairs, and attending these events is both easy and essential for students looking for employ...
Fill in the blank: Best online class platform
Opinion Staff, Jack Baudoin, Summer Fitzgerald, and Danielle Elliott
September 20, 2020
The best platform or app for online classes and meetings is... Jack Baudoin: Microsoft Teams During this global pandemic, there are multiple platforms that I have been using to attend class. While they are all good and all attain the same goal, Microsoft Teams is by far the best. It has the easiest set...
Temporary in-person class shutdown is a positive move by university
Danielle Elliott, Contributor
September 17, 2020
NIU President Lisa Freeman sent out an email Friday to inform students that the university will temporarily be moving undergraduate courses online for two weeks due to the quick rise in students testing positive for COVID-19. We are now nearly a week into the pause, and it seems to have been a smar...
Firsthand account: Living in a dorm during a pandemic
Summer Fitzgerald, Contributor
September 13, 2020
Attending college during a pandemic was assuredly not on my bucket list for this lifetime, but it is now a reality that I have had to face and make the best of while living in Stevenson Residence Hall at NIU. Ever since March, I have been dreaming of the Fall 2020 semester signifying the pandemic...
Firsthand account: Commuting from home during a pandemic
Jack Baudoin, Contributor
September 10, 2020
Even though we are in college, it does not always feel like it right now. We are not going to and sitting in class like we used to, and that is the exact opposite of what someone would think they would be doing in school. Many students still are experiencing a college lifestyle, whether they are ...
Firsthand account: Living in an apartment during a pandemic
Danielle Elliott, Contributor
September 8, 2020
I first transferred to NIU in January and struggled with deciding if I wanted to commute from my hometown of Plainfield or if I wanted to move into an apartment in DeKalb. After realizing my primary goal of coming to NIU was to connect with other students and professors, I knew that living near campus ...
Surveillance testing is a simple, necessary process
Jordan Radloff, Opinion Editor
September 3, 2020
This week the university’s COVID-19 surveillance testing program began. Increased testing for students attending on-campus classes and events will hopefully allow the university to conduct more effective contact tracing. Taking the nasal swab test was a simple process and all students selected to pa...
DeKALB — The men's golf team competed in the Titleist Footjoy Invitational presented by Glass Solutions Inc. from Oct. 16 to Oct. 18. The three-round...