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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

A graphic depicts the five different love languages. What is the best love language? (Emily Beebe | Northern Star)

Poll: What is the best love language?

By Lucy Atkinson, Opinion Columnist | February 10, 2025

February is best known for Valentine’s Day: The designated day for love, decadent chocolates and fuzzy, pink socks. If for nothing else, use the holiday as an opportunity to celebrate the unique loves of your life.  A popular way to discuss how...

A graphic depicts flowers, chocolate, a necklace, a candle and a teddy bear. What is the best Valentine's Day gift? (Emily Beebe | Northern Star)

Poll: What is the best gift to receive on Valentine’s Day?

By Emily Beebe, Opinion Editor | February 3, 2025

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and students are making plans and wondering what kind of Valentine’s Day gift to get their significant other. There are many gifts people may receive for Valentine’s Day such as flowers, candy, chocolate...

Different types of toppings for salad sit at Neptune Dining Hall's salad bar station. Which dining hall is the best dining hall on campus. (Katie Follmer | Northern Star)

Poll: Which NIU dining hall is the best?

By Colton Peterson, Opinion Columnist | January 27, 2025

The NIU dining halls provide a wide variety of foods for students to eat. Almost every residence hall has a cafeteria in it, all with their own unique qualities. Some dining halls have better food than others, but overall the experience is very similar...

DuSable Hall sits Friday evening as the sun sets in the background. Which building on campus is the best to have classes in or study in? (Sofia Howell | Northern Star)

Poll: Which NIU building is the best to take classes at or study?

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist | January 20, 2025

With the return to class, many students may have forgotten their old academic routine. Getting up early and going to class is something we had partially forgotten for a month, taking advantage of the end-of-year festivities.  However, the new semester...

Gilbert Hall sits in front of Gilbert Drive on Wednesday afternoon. Which NIU residence hall is the best one to live in? (Ethan Rodriguez | Northern Star)

Poll: Which residence hall is the best to live in?

By Emily Beebe, Opinion Editor | January 15, 2025

As a college student, especially a first-year student, you may decide to live in a residence hall in order to have a sense of freedom and live away from home. Other times, depending on how far away you live, you may be required to live in a residence...

A vertical, columnar statue reads “DeKalb” with the circular penny emblem at its top. Which iconic small town spot in DeKalb gives you the most feels? (Sofia Didenko | Northern Star)

Poll: Which iconic small town DeKalb symbol is your favorite?

By Sofia Didenko, Opinion Columnist | December 3, 2024

Coming from the third largest city in the United States, living in a small town has been a big change for me.  Although only an hour and a half away, DeKalb’s scene proves to be the opposite of Chicago’s. However, as I spend more time here, I...

A graphic shows a turkey centered in the middle of various autumnal leaves. What's the best way to spend Thanksgiving break? (Jackson Shields | Northern Star)

Poll: What is the best way to spend Thanksgiving break?

By Sofia Didenko, Opinion Columnist | November 19, 2024

As Thanksgiving break creeps up, NIU students should prepare their plans for the half week off next week.  From Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, you'll have the perfect opportunity to unwind and celebrate with those close to you. Even if the holiday isn't celebrated...

Five segments display five elements - sodium, iron, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen - as they appear on the period table and with a basic atomic structure diagram. Which periodic element is most like your personality? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Poll: Which periodic element best represents your personality?

By Lalita Rai, Opinion Columnist | November 12, 2024

Chemistry is the science of the structure, composition and unique properties of elements and compounds.  To date, scientists have identified 118 elements, each with its own distinct characteristics. Just like elements, people also have unique personalities...

Six panels show pictures of different classic international foods and the flags of the countries they originate from, including: tacos, croissants, sushi, pizza, burgers and momo. What's your favorite classic international dish? (Northern Star Graphic)

Poll: Which classic international food is your favorite?

By Lalita Rai, Opinion Columnist | November 7, 2024

The beauty of the United States is its diversity of people. When people from various places gather, they bring different cultures, food and languages.  In the U.S., there are lots of options for finding international foods from Mexico, Japan, France,...

The word "Vote" is surrounded by various symbols representing issues important to the American public this presidential election. With just a few days until the election, which issue is most important to your vote? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Poll: Which issue is most important to you this election?

By Santiago Montañez Bertoletti, Opinion Columnist | October 31, 2024

The Nov. 5 general election is nearly upon us, and the two main candidates – Kamala Harris and Donald Trump – have spent the campaign season outlining their proposals and ideas and garnering the support of their respective parties.  This election...

Five segments display different planets and symbols associated with them, all surrounding a tiny astronaut reading a book. If you had to take a remote class in outer space, which planet would you choose to study on? (Lucy Atkinson | Northern Star)

Poll: Remote learning in space

By Ethan Ernst, Opinion Columnist | October 23, 2024

“Star Trek” has popularized the idea that space is the “final frontier” for human expansion, and people like Elon Musk aim to make this a reality. Yet human colonists on other planets will still need to learn, and we already have the means for...

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,...