2023 Orientation Issue

Letter from the Editor

"Maybe you didn’t do your laundry, maybe you missed an assignment, or maybe you have to choose your roommate for next year. In the moment, these things might feel like the end of the world. But, I’m only halfway through my college career, and one thing I can already tell you is that almost nothing matters as much as you think it does."

— Avani Kalra, Editor in Chief

Navigating Northwestern

Campus

Everything you need to know coming to campus this fall.

Year in Review: NU’s top stories from 2022-23

The 2022-23 academic year was a period of change for Northwestern. Students saw major highs and lows for athletic programs, personnel changes and a transition period for on-campus performances.

Northwebster: Navigating NU slang and lingo

Coming to college is like entering a new world, complete with all of its own slang and phrases. Here’s a quick briefer on some of the sayings and acronyms that you’ll come in contact with when you get to Evanston, from NUDM to Norbucks.

Hidden student perks: How to make the most of your tuition

From free entry to the Art Institute of Chicago to Xfinity streaming services, your tuition covers much more than just classes. Here’s a list of free resources available to you as a Northwestern student, both on and off campus.

Healthy and happy: A guide to NU health care resources

Healthy habits can be a key defense, but no one is invincible. Make the best use of your health care options on campus with the help of this brief guide.

Voices for change: A non-comprehensive guide to NU’s activist landscape

One of Northwestern’s core values is social justice, a principle built upon a long history of student activism. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the Bursar’s Office Takeover, in which over 100 students participated in a sit-in protesting discriminatory policies against and a lack of resources for Black students.

International experience at NU: navigating a new school and country

Moving to the United States as an international student can mean cramming your life into suitcases, visa interviews and saying extended goodbyes even before you get to campus.

Here’s The Daily’s rundown on navigating your first year here as an international student.

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Exploring Evanston

City

The city is more than a college town.

Year in Review: Evanston’s biggest headlines of the past year

There’s more to Evanston than Northwestern. For students who like to step outside of the University bubble, here’s The Daily’s guide to city government. It introduces the government and its interplay with advocacy groups, residents and the University.

A guide to understanding Evanston’s City Government

The Chicago area has one of America’s most robust transportation networks. Here’s how NU students can use it

Northwestern sits about 12 miles from the skyscrapers of downtown Chicago. The transportation tentacles of the nation’s third-largest city stretch all the way to Evanston, giving NU students a plethora of opportunities to move about the Chicago area.

Evanston, not Chicago: An introduction to the city NU is a part of

It’s easy for Northwestern students to tell a friend or a family member that they go to school in Chicago. The glamor of the nation’s third-largest city can become a simple shorthand to triangulate NU’s location. But NU is not in Chicago. It’s in Evanston, a suburb sleepy in some areas and, in others, lively.

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From our staffers

Opinion

What we've learned being in college so far.

By Nicole Markus

Markus: On the ups and downs of freshman year

When you get here and inevitably have hard moments, that’s okay too. Just remember that everyone else is going through the same thing as you. People here are kind and open to making friends. You will find your people. You will have good times. But when the bad times come, don’t be too hard on yourself like I was.

By Anita Li

Li: Me, Myself and I: learning to be alone in college

I’m an extrovert, and being lonely definitely sucked sometimes, but it taught me so much. I found new hobbies, like painting my nails with a thumbtack (don’t knock it until you try it), reading and late-night ramen. And maybe most importantly, I’ve learned to enjoy my own company a little more.

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