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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 sketching hand and clapperboard are shown inside a TV beneath the word “Look Both Ways” and above the topic of the week: Animation versus live-action TV. Is animated or live-action TV more engaging for viewers? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Animation versus live action

By Jackson Shields and Sofia Didenko | September 23, 2024

ANIMATED TV BETTER THAN LIVE-ACTION By: Jackson Shields, Opinion Columnist Consider the story of David and Goliath. David, the young and scrawny shepherd, stands before the towering Goliath with only a slingshot and a single stone; he faces insurmountable...

Cash and a credit card are separated by a “versus” symbol beneath the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Should society go cashless? Credit cards may be much more environmentally friendly, but cash has greater security against cybercrimes.  (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Should society go cashless?

By Jackson Shields and Sofia Didenko | September 16, 2024

THE U.S. SHOULD NOT GO CASHLESS By: Jackson Shields, Opinion Columnist Day after day our lives become more digitized. From how we communicate to how we get our food, the analog ways of the past have been thrown to the wayside in favor of digital...

A figure in bed sits between a map icon for school and a map icon for home beneath the words "Look Both Ways" and the subject of the week: first-years on campus. Should first-years be required to live on campus? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: First-years on campus

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti and Will Thiel | September 9, 2024

FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO LIVE ON-CAMPUS By: Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist During their first year, many university students may have doubts about how university life works. Among the many decisions you have to...

An exam paper and six floating question marks rest under the word "Look Both Ways" and the topic of the week: standardized testing. Should standardized testing be eliminated or embraced? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Standardized testing

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti and Will Thiel | April 29, 2024

ELIMINATING SUCCESS, ONE TEST BUBBLE AT A TIME By: Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist In the U.S., 80% of colleges don't require SAT or ACT scores for admission, including NIU, but standardized tests should be eliminated entirely.  Standardized...

A squirrel and geese rest under the words "Look Both Ways" and the topic of the week: Wildlife campus takeover. If one of the two had to take over campus, what would you prefer: squirrels or geese? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Campus takeover, squirrels vs. geese

By Olivia Zapf and Lucy Atkinson | April 22, 2024

GEESE SHOULD TAKE OVER By: Olivia Zapf, Assistant Opinion Editor Is it better to be feared or loved? Machiavelli would argue feared – and so would I. Squirrels, while cute, are no match for the menacing, honkin’ geese that NIU has been blessed...

Two American flags and music notes rest under the words "Look Both Ways" and the topic of the week: playing the national anthem at sports events. Is the national anthem overplayed at sports events? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: National anthem at sports events

By Skyler Kisellus and Will Thiel | April 15, 2024

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IS GETTING EXCESSIVE, DIAL IT BACK By: Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter I’m well aware that this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but here goes: The national anthem does not need to be played before every sporting event.  I...

A video surveillance camera and a school building rest under the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Cameras in classrooms. Should there be cameras in classrooms? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Cameras in classrooms

CLASSROOMS SHOULD HAVE CAMERAS By: Santiago Montañez Bertoletti Classrooms should have cameras. It is no secret that the education system does not work as it should, and there are various flaws in both quality and student attentiveness.  In...

A checklist, looking glass and dollar bills rest under the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Higher Learning Commission accreditation. Should HLC accreditation occur more or less frequently? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Higher Learning Commission accreditation

By Emily Beebe and James Bennett | April 1, 2024

The process of validation universities undergo is known as accreditation. NIU’s accreditation evaluation is done by the Higher Learning Commission. It is essentially an external review that is done to make sure colleges match up with the criteria and...

A brain is surrounded by floating hearts under the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Togetherall. Will the new mental health app NIU has partnered with, Togetherall, bring positive change? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Togetherall

By Camilla Dziadosz and Emily Beebe | March 18, 2024

NIU has added another mental health resource to its repertoire, this time it’s a mental health app called Togetherall.  Togetherall is a mental health app that consists of self-assessments, courses and a message board for students to anonymously...

A Supreme Court building and a voting ballot rest under the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Trump on the primary ballot. Was the Supreme Court right to overrule Colorado’s expulsion of Trump from the state’s primary ballot? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Trump on the primary ballot

By Camilla Dziadosz and Will Thiel | March 7, 2024

Despite facing legal challenges in Colorado and Illinois based on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment – which bars anyone who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion from holding public office – Donald Trump won a Supreme Court case March 4 that...

Colorful music notes and a painted handprint rest under the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Separating art from the artist. As consumers of art, should we separate art from the artist? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Separating art from the artist

By Kahlil Kambui and Camilla Dziadosz | March 4, 2024

DON’T SEPARATE ART FROM THE ARTIST By: Kahlil Kambui, Opinion Columnist Separating the art from the artist is not an excuse to consume the art of people who have done or said terrible things. We need to hold them accountable and not consume their...

A mouse peers outward beneath the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Animal testing. Is animal testing justified? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Animal Testing

By James Bennett and Santiago Montañez Bertoletti | February 26, 2024

ANIMAL TESTING IS UNJUSTIFIED By: James Bennett, Opinion Columnist Animal testing is among the most prevalent forms of experimentation worldwide, all justified under the guise of making the world safer for humans. Not only is this morally wrong,...