Dear NIU community, It was never my intention to be so invested in student journalism, but after writing news for this community for two years, I’m glad that I did. When I got here I expected to hate the smallness of DeKalb, but it turned out...

Two years ago, I joined the Northern Star as a photographer, and looking back, it was truly one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.  Now, as the spring semester of 2025 comes to an end, my time here is slowly drawing to a close.  Looking...

Harvard is entering an intense battle with the Trump administration after the White House made outlandish demands that would impact Harvard’s admissions, campus protests and faculty leadership processes. The Ivy League university’s fight for the essence...

As the end of the semester is nearing, students may be starting to think of their plans for summer break. Summer break is a time of rest and relaxation, and students should enjoy the time away from school. NIU students provided their thoughts on what...

Facing a federal mandate threatening the university’s accreditation, NIU made the controversial choice to remove Diversity, Equity and Inclusion language from its website.  After removing its DEI page on Feb. 1 in response to an executive order...

Finals begin at NIU Monday. Students may be looking for different ways to effectively study for exams. There are many different ways to study for finals, such as the Pomodoro Technique and active recall.  What is the best way to study for finals? POMODORO...

76 school shootings. It is only April, and there have been 76 school shootings in 2025, according to the K-12 Violence Project. The terror of going to school and having someone open fire at you is a fear many individuals face. The questions arise: Why...

When I first started college, I was an education major. I knew I wanted to be a teacher, so I decided to major in middle-level education. I wanted to teach history or English. However, after having a teaching internship during my freshman year, I decided...

Global leaders continue to face a vortex of antagonistic behavior from the Trump administration. Their grief for America is our nation’s disgrace.  ON TARIFFS Causing stress among global leaders currently is Trump’s aggressive tariff policies,...

The planned roundabout to be installed on the intersection of Lucinda Avenue and Normal Road will make NIU’s campus safer. While this is a good first step, more still needs to be done to ensure pedestrian and driver safety. The current intersection...

If you were to look at communication today versus 100 years ago, it is clear that advancements in technology have significantly improved our ways of interacting. Not only have our means of talking to one another changed, but so has the amount of time...