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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

Three fantastical creatures, including the cartoonist’s recurring owl character, stand back to back in dark blue and red scene. Jayce Weir inspires some of their characters from personal Dungeons and Dragons games. (Jayce Weir | Northern Star)

Cartoon: D&D Dreams

By Jayce Weir, Cartoonist | October 17, 2024

Crash and Eddie, two orange and white tabby cats that live with Opinion Columnist Ethan Ernst's family, sit together near a doorway. Ernst credits Crash and Eddie with teaching him empathy toward other living creatures. (Ethan Ernst | Northern Star)

Learning to care about cats

By Ethan Ernst, Opinion Columnist | October 17, 2024

My parents owned two cats before I was born. Their names were Baby and Jeong. They lived long enough for me to remember them, but not long enough to love them. Love for my cats would be learned later in life. I remember little of Baby, but Jeong, our...

A letter that reads “Por los que no están con nosotros,” or in English “For those who are not with us,” floats over a path of footprints surrounded by 20 Latin American flags. As Latino Heritage Month comes to an end, Opinion Columnist Santiago Montañez emphasizes the need to both celebrate the cultural impact of Latin American communities in the U.S. and remember the sacrifices made by Latin American immigrants. (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Por los que no están con nosotros

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist | October 16, 2024

El Mes de la Herencia Hispana es más que un recordatorio de la contribución que la inmigración hispana le ha dado a Estados Unidos desde el siglo XX. Es una forma de conmemorar los sacrificios que muchas personas han tenido que hacer por el bienestar...

A couple of autumnal leaves and a branch carrying a bird sit beneath the words "Look Both Ways" and above the topic of the week. Is spring or fall semester best? (Jackson Shields | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Spring versus fall semester

By Ethan Ernst and Sofia Didenko | October 16, 2024

SPRING SEMESTER IS BETTER THAN FALL SEMESTER By: Ethan Ernst, Opinion Columnist No one likes to be too cold or too hot, but Neptune Hall West and North students, such as myself, are more likely to deal with the latter, especially during fall semester. Neptune...

Five segments display different popular board games, including checkers, chess, Clue, the Game of Life and backgammon. What is your favorite classic board game? (Jackson Shields | Northern Star)

Poll: What’s the best classic board game?

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist | October 15, 2024

During college, students shouldn’t always be studying. You need to have some space to rest your mind and have fun with friends.  Some of these moments can be entertained by board games, popular among many cultures and known throughout the world,...

A Huskie happily accepts a bulging bag of cash. The Northern Star Editorial Board would like to thank the Baustert Family Foundation for the $40 million donation toward building a Health and Technology Center at NIU. (Aidan Renteria | Northern Star)

Editorial: The Northern Star expresses gratitude for Baustert Family Foundation

By The Northern Star Editorial Board | October 15, 2024

The Northern Star wants to thank the Baustert Family Foundation for their recent historic $40 million donation for the Health and Technology Center.  This generous gift not only shows the Foundation’s commitment to advancing healthcare technology...

A cartoon imagining of a hurricane looks angrily at a worried Earth. Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall in Florida within only two weeks of each other, devastating the Southeastern United States. (Aidan Renteria | Northern Star)

The world needs climate action immediately

By Jackson Shields, Assistant Opinion Editor | October 14, 2024

In the late night of Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast, devastating the region with damages ranging in the hundreds of millions of dollars and fatalities reaching upwards of 227.  Only two weeks later, just as recovery...

Alli Simmons, a junior communication studies major, responds to a street interviews prompt. What’s your favorite meal at the dining halls, and what would you most like to see changed about the dining halls? (Northern Star Graphic)

Street Interviews: Dining halls

By Lucy Atkinson, Opinion Editor | October 14, 2024

Almost every Huskie finds themselves eating from a dining hall at some point during their college career, but students have mixed opinions about the food options available.  From chicken tenders to salad bars to soft serve and cookies, there are...

Ukrainian soldiers honor fallen comrades from the Russo-Ukraine war Oct. 4. Opinion Columnist Santiago Montañez Bertoletti encourages American voters to consider each candidates’ goals for international policies, particularly concerning America’s role in international conflicts, this election. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

International policies should influence your vote

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist | October 13, 2024

The upcoming presidential election is growing hotter than ever, and one issue that is slowly gaining importance is the candidates’ positions on the role the United States should play in international conflicts. It is no secret the U.S. is one of...

Dracula sucks from a pouch of blood between two other students while his professor says, "Mr. Dracula, what did we say about drinking in class??" No matter how hard or frustrating instructions for midterms are, always remember to stay hydrated. And always drink water, unless you are Dracula. (Daniela Barajas | Northern Star)

Cartoon: Midterm sucks

By Daniela Barajas, Cartoonist | October 11, 2024

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is tackled in a NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Assistant Opinion Editor Jackson Shields believes the NFL's prioritization of style over safety traps its athletes in a dangerous lifestyle that mimics the Roman gladiators. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

The NFL wants gladiators

By Jackson Shields, Assistant Opinion Editor | October 10, 2024

Violence is a spectacle. From the ages of gladiatorial combat to the days of schoolyard brawls, the human mind has been fascinated with displays of raw physicality, unleashed in unpleasant ways. It’s a sick part of ourselves we’d rather not own up...

A wildfire blazes Saturday near Arnegard, North Dakota. The increasing rate of wildfires is a steady warning signal that we need swift climate action. (Arnegard Fire Protection District via AP)

Wildfires are warning flags, not just tragedies

By Lucy Atkinson, Opinion Editor | October 9, 2024

North Dakota is experiencing devastating wildfires which have already caused the evacuations of more than 100 people and two fatalities. It should be painfully obvious how necessary strong climate policy will be in the upcoming presidential election.  Powerful...