The potential of artificial intelligence may not be at the level we see in sci-fi movies, but it is reaching a threshold where its applications in our world may be concerning. About 56% of students said they have used AI to complete projects and...

NIU students work hard to succeed academically while handling a multitude of challenges. Printing services should be free to show NIU's mission to empower students educationally. The use of paper resources as a requirement of academic success is a...

Vaccinations, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been a major point of debate. Individuals should not be required to get any vaccine; the decision should be left up to the individual. Vaccine mandates could be considered an infringement...

Ever wondered how a student newspaper works? Meet Opinion Editor Lucy Atkinson and the opinion section team of the Northern Star. See what goes into forming an opinion piece, cartoon and why the team does what they do.

For people who don't drink bottled water and like to indulge in the city's tap and fountain water – great news – DeKalb won best tasting water at the Illinois Section American Water Works Association, but it is not well deserved. To determine who...

French fries, a quintessential comfort food, are hard to beat. Fries are always a hit, regardless of the cut: waffle, straight, julienne, shoestring or crinkle. Many sauces go well with fries, such as ketchup, cheese, ranch, barbeque and honey mustard....

The conversation around sex is ever-changing, but what about masturbation? Getting in tune with our bodies through masturbation, especially for females, is healthy and empowering.  Masturbation has long been addressed and directed toward males, but...

BDSM – bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism –  has notoriously been considered “other” or “deviant” within society. When practiced healthily, BDSM is simply another form of expression – it’s not weird,...

“Icebreaker”, “The Love Hypothesis” and countless other romance novels are smut-ridden (shoutout to Chapter 9). While these may be good reads for adults, they should not be marketed to minors.  Experiencing sexual content through a book –...

NIU has historically focused on retaining and recruiting undergraduate students. While focusing on undergraduate retention and recruitment is important, graduate students remain vital to NIU’s campus and community. Students continually worry about...