Occasionally, Alaskans require intervention from nature to remind them where they live. My family lives very close to a bog, which is a wetland habitat of northern climates, similar to a swamp in the south. Around this bog, my father, who is a bird-watcher...

There are copious ways the world could end, most of them with humans at fault. However, our vast and uncaring solar system could also bring about mass extinction on earth. Countless asteroids like the one that killed the dinosaurs speed through the void,...

It’s no secret that the majority of people enjoy indulging in a chocolate chip cookie, but not me. I would rather have no cookie than a chocolate chip.  My favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin. If I had the option between all the different kinds of...

Generally, I like to have a plan when going out with friends, but sometimes a random, spontaneous idea turns into a great night. On a brisk evening in late March, one of the boys proposed that we go explore the swamp near our neighborhood. As high...

Over the past few years, the debates over banning books in American education have increased, but the actual act of book banning has a long and ugly history in our nation.  A recent study by PEN America has found that between July 2021 and June of...

When my alarm went off at 7:15 a.m., my first thought was to turn it off and go back to sleep. But then I remembered: I’m going kayaking again today. Still groggy, I heated up my morning brew, shoveled down a bowl of Joe’s Os and walked to NIU’s...

From the flashing colors of the maples and oaks, to the cool breezes now promising relief from summer’s heat, it feels as though nature's full celebration of autumn is finally underway.  Spooky season is officially here. The ninth of October is...

There’s few things more exciting than lighting a fuse and running away. Watching that green string turn to sparks, burning down to meet something extremely flammable gets the heart pumping like nothing else. When that pyromaniacal rush applies to someone...

Many students struggle to find internships and job opportunities after college; but, if students attend university career fairs, they just might find what they are looking for.  College career fairs are specifically designed to aid students in exploring...

When entering college, students have a plethora of options for career choices. However, regardless of major, many students must take a humanities course such as philosophy. Such was the case with myself, and it was easily the least interesting course...

There's a mixed school of thought about working from home. Recent happenings around the world did lock us all in for a while, but one thing was certain: there was a lot of time at hand. I have always thought of myself as a tinkerer when it comes to nature....

For the first 19 years of my life, I had never seen a stingray before. In “Finding Nemo” maybe, but never in real life.  I also had never been to the St. Louis Zoo, but that all changed in a single fun-filled weekend.  In May 2021, my boyfriend...