With summer on the horizon, clothes are shrinking and judgment abounds. While men are told only to keep a neat appearance, women and girls are urged to stay “modest,” as if their bodies are a source of shame and moral deterioration. Some girls really...

It rubs the tinted moisturizer on its skin or else it gets the hose again. Fans of pop punk bands circa 2005 are undoubtedly familiar with the phenomenon of “guyliner,” but what about average guys wearing makeup for their everyday existence? Typically,...

We should know things. As my mother once said, “ignorance is not a valid excuse.” At the time, she was lecturing me about checking the oil in my car, but the idea holds truth anywhere. I feel that with today’s technology, there is even less of an...

Last week, when I was asking around for “NIU First-World Problems,” someone whose name I didn’t catch offered me what I considered a “Real NIU Problem:” A young transgender man said our campus needs unisex bathrooms. For those who do not know,...

Many of you are probably familiar with a popular expression which summarizes the spoiled attitude of a comfortable lifestyle: first world problems. I like the Internet meme because it takes common but harmless complaints and subtly puts them into perspective....

It seems that every day some students seem to forget a very basic thing that should never be forgotten: classroom etiquette. At the beginning of a semester, a class’s instructor will go over a list of guidelines and expectations for each of the students...

Fear of the unknown keeps one from opening up to new experiences. To some, fear of the unknown should inhibit others from experiencing something that is good for them and, oh yeah, requires legal action as well. As of February, a couple in San Diego is...

You can consciously choose to like someone. It is possible; I have seen it happen. Let me be more specific: Maybe you will not honestly like someone in the very core of your being, but you can tolerate them enough to learn to “play nicely.” Some of...

When you were young, I am sure most of you were taught the golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. I do not know about all of you, but I would like to be treated nicely. If you have not been practicing kindness and respect in your everyday...