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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

An analog clock in 12-hour time and a digital clock in military time sit beneath the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week. Is telling time in two 12-hour periods or one 24-hour period more inconvenient? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: 12-hour versus 24-hour clocks

By Ethan Ernst and Lalita Rai | December 4, 2024

THE 24-HOUR CLOCK IS SUPERIOR By: Ethan Ernst, Opinion Columnist In the United States, we spend a lot of time using the suffixes a.m. and p.m. to clarify what time we are referring to. However, people sometimes forget to include these suffixes,...

A tax form and two arrows – one pointing up and the other pointing down – sit beneath the words "Look Both Ways" and above the topic of the week. Should taxes be lowered? (Jackson Shields | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Taxes

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti and Lalita Rai | November 20, 2024

During the 2024 election season, voters saw differing proposals from candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and president-elect Donald Trump.  As the former president was chosen, his policies will govern the United States for the next four years.  With...

Nuclear reactors, a solar panel and a wind turbine sit beneath the words “Look Both Ways” and above the topic of the week. Is nuclear or renewable energy more beneficial and realistic? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Nuclear and renewable energies

By Ethan Ernst and Santiago Montañez Bertoletti | November 13, 2024

RENEWABLE ENERGY By: Ethan Ernst, Opinion Columnist The output of a nuclear power plant compared to its environmental impact is far superior to renewable energy. Even still, nuclear energy is too expensive and time consuming to adopt widely. Small...

The silhouettes of four U.S. electors and a graph meant to represent the popular vote are separated by a versus symbol beneath the words "Look Both Ways" and the topic of the week. Is the Electoral College or popular vote the better system? (Jackson Shields | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Electoral College versus popular vote

By Olivia Zapf and Jackson Shields | October 31, 2024

With Election Day right around the corner, the debate between the Electoral College and popular vote is once again heating up. The popular vote is a democratic system in which a country’s citizens decide who is placed in power. Simply put, in an...

Shopping bags, a ghost holding a trick-or-treat bag, and craft supplies sit beneath the words “Look Both Ways” and above the topic of the week. Is it better to wear store-bought or homemade Halloween costumes to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Store-bought versus homemade Halloween costumes

By Ethan Ernst and Lalita Rai | October 28, 2024

STORE-BOUGHT COSTUMES By: Ethan Ernst, Opinion Columnist An iconic part of Halloween is the costumes people wear. Monsters, fictional characters or professions that children may be interested in are common options found in stores. Many people...

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...

An alien head, a ringed planet and a trio of stars sit beneath the words "Look Both Ways" and above the topic of the week. Does life exist out in deep space? (Jackson Shields | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Life in Space

LIFE IN SPACE IS NOT PROBABLE  By: Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist While it is undeniable that life in space is a fact that we will find out about sooner or later, because of the nature of the universe, this discovery is far from...

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...

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...

Cash and a credit card are separated by a “versus” symbol beneath the words “Look Both Ways” and the topic of the week: Should society go cashless? Credit cards may be much more environmentally friendly, but cash has greater security against cybercrimes.  (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Should society go cashless?

By Jackson Shields and Sofia Didenko | September 16, 2024

THE U.S. SHOULD NOT GO CASHLESS By: Jackson Shields, Opinion Columnist Day after day our lives become more digitized. From how we communicate to how we get our food, the analog ways of the past have been thrown to the wayside in favor of digital...

A figure in bed sits between a map icon for school and a map icon for home beneath the words "Look Both Ways" and the subject of the week: first-years on campus. Should first-years be required to live on campus? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: First-years on campus

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti and Will Thiel | September 9, 2024

FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO LIVE ON-CAMPUS By: Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist During their first year, many university students may have doubts about how university life works. Among the many decisions you have to...

An exam paper and six floating question marks rest under the word "Look Both Ways" and the topic of the week: standardized testing. Should standardized testing be eliminated or embraced? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Look Both Ways: Standardized testing

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti and Will Thiel | April 29, 2024

ELIMINATING SUCCESS, ONE TEST BUBBLE AT A TIME By: Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist In the U.S., 80% of colleges don't require SAT or ACT scores for admission, including NIU, but standardized tests should be eliminated entirely.  Standardized...