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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

North Carolina, a ballot box and a comment symbol sit beneath the words “Look Both Ways” and above the topic of the week. Mark Robinson, the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, is facing controversy after multiple offensive comments were traced back to him by CNN. (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Mark Robinson

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti and Will Thiel | September 30, 2024

Mark Robinson, the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, is facing severe controversy for online comments he made from 2010 through 2012. Comments were traced back to Robinson through the username “minisoldr,” which was used repeatedly across...

Tamiah Griffin, a freshman art major, responds to a street interview prompt. How often do you skip classes, and do you think attendance should be mandatory? (Northern Star Graphic)

Street Interviews: Attendance and missing class

By Lucy Atkinson, Opinion Editor | September 30, 2024

Every school day, all college students have to make a choice: do I attend class today? Do I really need those notes?  Most professors would argue yes, you really need those notes.  Even plenty of students agree it’s in their every benefit...

A figure sits thinking in front of a rainbow gradient of humanities field symbols, while spiky speech bubbles coming from off-frame read: “Useless!” “Worthless!” and “Low Pay!” Opinion Columnist Sofia Didenko believes labeling certain majors useless is both harmful and untrue. (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

No major is useless

By Sofia Didenko, Opinion Columnist | September 29, 2024

When coming to college, many students grapple with the task of selecting a field of study to pursue. With many factors to weigh, this decision can create a tornado of doubt. Students  are torn between their strengths, parental and cultural expectations,...

Five segments display different symbols for a variety of fiction genres, including: fantasy, mystery, horror, sci-fi and romance. What is your favorite genre of fiction? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Poll: What genre of fiction is your favorite?

By Jackson Shields, Assistant Opinion Editor | September 29, 2024

Stories are strange and winding roads that can take us to many different places. Maybe that’s at the wheel of a great galleon ship being tossed between the waves, in the thick of battle with swords raised high, or aloft in a gnarled tree’s nook, gazing...

An owl wearing fancy attire stares at an owl skull in a chair. This artwork was drawn as part of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign that the cartoonist is involved in, and the character is contemplating her past life. (Jayce Weir | Northern Star)

Cartoon: Cursed Girl

By Jayce Weir, Cartoonist | September 26, 2024

"Faulkner Studies," volumes one through three, sits on a bookshelf near other famous literary works in the reference section of the Founder's Memorial Library. Opinion Columnist Jackson Shields encourages the consumption of challenging art to promote deeper thinking. (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Try art that challenges your thinking

By Jackson Shields, Assistant Opinion Editor | September 26, 2024

There are few words more challenging to define than art, because to define art is to detract from the unique quality that makes it special in the first place: its fluidity. From one person to the next, there is no stable understanding of what art is,...

Planes are parked at the Chinggis Khaan International airport Nov. 21, 2021, in Sergelen, Töv, Mongolia. Video Editor Jenny Javkhlantugs traveled to the U.S. for school three years ago, and leaving her family behind was an immense challenge. (Jenny Javkhlantugs | Northern Star)

Long distance won’t sever familial love

By Jenny Javkhlantugs, Video Editor | September 25, 2024

Pushing through the airport security and walking past the different environments, I looked behind me and saw the four most precious people in my life waving at me. I couldn’t tell what they were thinking or what they were saying because I was too far...

Many countries across both hemispheres of the globe are marked with black star symbols on a map. Each marking represents a country experiencing some level of conflict, from governmental repression to insurgency and border conflict wars, as mentioned by Opinion Columnist Santiago Montañez Bertoletti. The size of markings does not indicate level of conflict, and the placement of markings does not indicate regional zone of conflicts within countries, only the country itself. (Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons | Northern Star Graphic)

Expand your political activism beyond one issue

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist | September 25, 2024

Let’s stop for a moment and ask ourselves a question: How many conflicts are happening right now? How many countries are in crisis right now?  We all know what is happening in Ukraine and Palestine. Eastern Europe is experiencing one of the biggest...

A student runs after a departing Huskie Line Bus, papers flying from their backpack. The Huskie Line is free for students, but far from a perfect transit system, and the Northern Star Editorial Board is eager to see tracking improvements. (Daniela Barajas | Northern Star)

Editorial: Students deserve Huskie Line improvement

By The Northern Star Editorial Board | September 24, 2024

Many students on campus have had the pleasure – or lack thereof – of experiencing the Huskie Bus Line. There are 12 bus routes that you can use to go to grocery stores, residence halls and academic buildings, among other spots. However, many students...

A sad, little stomach cries in a thought bubble surrounded by various breakfast foods. What college kid breakfast do you think is best? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Poll: What college kid breakfast is best?

By Will Thiel, Opinion Columnist | September 24, 2024

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day.  But let’s face it – college students have their own quirky take on what makes a “balanced” breakfast. It’s National Better Breakfast Month, so with a dash of sarcasm, let’s dive into the...

Presidential nominees Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump shake hands before the start of the Sept. 10 ABC News presidential debate in Philadelphia. Opinion Columnist Sofia Didenko believes Harris won the debate by handling Trump’s typical debate tactics, including red herrings and name-calling, with grace and maturity. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file)

Harris demonstrated reliable leadership in debate

By Sofia Didenko, Opinion Columnist | September 23, 2024

From commentary of specialists and polls, the general consensus seems to be that Democrats are more confident in their candidate compared to Republicans after the Sept. 10 presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald...

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...