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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

Ophelia Boyd, a first-year health science major, responds to a street interview prompt. Who is your favorite female historical figure, and what would you say to them? (Northern Star Graphic)

Street Interviews: Women in history

By Lucy Atkinson, Opinion Editor | March 25, 2024

Throughout history, women have filled half the human population with a fraction of human rights. Women have been — and continue to be — leaders of strength, compassion and intelligence, creating change despite the patriarchy.  On our campus,...

A phone with multiple social media apps is reflected in a mirror. Social media is only a reflection of real life, and users should be wary of misrepresentation. (Photo Illustration | Northern Star)

Limit social media use

By James Bennett, Opinion Columnist | March 24, 2024

A young man scrolls instagram and sees his classmates posts. They post their travels, their friends and their accomplishments. The young man feels inferior because his life feels so mundane compared to theirs.  A teenager in today’s world will grow...

An abstract design shows a forest burning from bright red flames, with the red sun beaming bring and hard. Our planet deserves better. (Camilla Dziadosz | Northern Star)

Recent weather shifts can’t be ignored

By Camilla Dziadosz, Opinion Columnist | March 20, 2024

While the coverage of climate change is nothing particularly new, the pressing issue doesn’t match actions taken for resolution. We shouldn’t wait for more chaotic weather to arise to prioritize prevention of the climate crisis – it may be too late...

Four quadrants display symbols from four famous coming-of-age books: "Looking for Alaska," "The Perks of being a Wallflower," "The Catcher in the Rye," and "The Outsiders." Which coming-of-age book is best? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Poll: What’s the best coming-of-age book?

By James Bennett, Opinion Columnist | March 19, 2024

Coming-of-age books are a quintessential part of literature. They help inspire many generations of readers and writers.  Coming-of-age is a genre that attempts to convey how problems commonly affect young people. This is often done in a real and relatable...

Eight fists raise toward a purple sky. Students should practice advocacy for political and social issues they care about. (Daniela Barajas | Northern Star)

Participate in student activism

By Alberto Briones, Opinion Columnist | March 19, 2024

With climate change, poverty and human rights violations, it is more crucial than ever to be politically engaged. College students must advocate to make a difference in their communities, express their beliefs and better their lives. Monserrat Garcia,...

The Stevenson Retail Dining Center stands with its doors open. Stevenson’s dining needs an upgrade. (Kahlil Kambui | Northern Star)

Make Stevenson dining buffet style

By Kahlil Kambui, Assistant News Editor | March 18, 2024

The Stevenson Retail Dining Center is not up to par in comparison to other NIU dining halls. The retail style dining of Stevenson isn't as good as the other dorms and should change to a buffet style.  Stanley Collier, a first-year business major,...

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...

An NIU safety alert pops up on a phone with an orange and yellow gradient lockscreen. NIU should continue releasing safety alerts for every reported crime. (Daniela Barajas | Northern Star)

Send safety notifications again

By Emily Beebe, News Editor | March 17, 2024

Crime, especially on college campuses, is something that people should always be informed of. NIU safety notifications should be sent out regardless of crime severity to ensure campus community safety. When NIU provides safety notifications, regardless...

The Folger Shakespeare Library’s edition of Shakespeare’s “Othello,” published June 2017, is open to Act 5 Scene 2 and includes a glossary of Early Modern English terms featured on each page. Early Modern English is outdated and should be abandoned in modern theater. (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Early Modern English ineffective today

By James Bennett, Opinion Columnist | March 17, 2024

Editor’s Note: This column was updated at 10:40 a.m. to clarify Shakespeare was written in Early Modern English. Early Modern English is an incredibly outdated form of language academics and artists need to let fade away. The main problem with Early...

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...

A person in a patterned sweater and sunglasses smiles as they cast a vote. Voting is cool, and young voters deserve to have their voice counted.(Camilla Dziadosz | Northern Star)

Make your vote matter

By Camilla Dziadosz, Opinion Columnist | March 6, 2024

Elections have shifted from upholding democratic values to becoming a strategic play on human psychology. The tactics employed by politicians are manipulative and require a careful critique.  The shared desire for a better political system has become...

Rapper Killer Mike sings into a microphone on a stage. Killer Mike’s wins at the 2024 Grammys were deserved and serve as an example of why artist popularity should not be prioritized over music quality. (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Judge artists by quality, not popularity

By James Bennett, Opinion Columnist | March 6, 2024

Looking at the lineup from the 2024 Grammys, Killer Mike's album “Michael” stood out as an outlier in a sea of projects from the biggest names in hip-hop. What made it an outlier was Killer Mike’s lack of popularity compared to other nominees. There...