🗣️Advice🗣️

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for DragonFire by Donita K. Paul, the fourth installment in the five-book DragonKeeper Chronicles.  

...Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (NIV Bible, 1 Kings 19.11-19.12)

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (New International Version, John 1:1-5).

I grinned widely as I sat by the campfire, soaking wet in drizzling rain, and looked up at the gray sky. Despite the cold and wet, I felt anything but miserable. Instead, a deep sense of peace and contentment washed over me, proving that nature's embrace can be a balm for the soul even in less-than-ideal conditions. I knew it would rain most of the weekend, yet I decided to go camping anyway.

*DISCLAIMER* The information presented in this article is aimed at residents in the United States, but it can still provide helpful information to residents in other countries.

While there are many technical aspects to consider when you are purchasing a laptop, there are also many personal things to consider when purchasing a laptop.  Some of these things include the purpose, personalization, ports, and purchase of your laptop.

My finger hovered over the Submit Work button on my laptop, hesitation freezing my hand. It was the first time I would ever submit an assignment to a NorthStar teacher, one I had never met at that, on my first day of online school. I took a deep breath and clicked, immediately checking the activity stream to see if I had gotten a response. A few minutes later, the feedback was updated. The teacher had left an encouraging grade, and a welcoming recording, calming my frantic nerves. For online students, it can be seemingly impossible to know teachers. However, a few of the incredible staff at NorthStar agreed to be interviewed to give students a better glimpse of what it means to be an educator. 

One thing that we all use here at NSA is an electronic device.  Whether it be a tablet, phone, or computer, we often need to use our electronic devices for our schoolwork as well as to communicate with our classmates.  This article will be the technical section of a two-part guide to buying a laptop, but many of these ideas and tips can apply to buying a PC as well.

Did you know that rubber bands last longer when they’re refrigerated? Probably not. That might make you wonder what else you don’t know. If you’re anything like me, you probably also don’t know that NSA offers tutoring. As I recently found out, tutoring is readily available at NSA for a wide variety of classes! 

*Always check with your parents before following any advice or suggestions in this article. The Navigator is not responsible for any consequences resulting from following our advice.

When I was in high school . . . 

I realize that I was in high school over 25 years ago and starting an article in this way feels like I’m trying to relate to your experience when in truth the world has vastly changed since I was in high school. However, some things do not change, like our God-designed need for friendship, and that is what I want to focus on today. 

Waves cascaded over the small cracked wooden boat, which keeled under the weight of the breakers. Salt water filled the men’s nostrils, and heavy rain splattered onto their already soaked tunics. “Turn the boat!” screamed a man with brown curly hair and flashing eyes. Although he had screamed with all his strength, his voice was picked up by the wind and carried far away, tossed on the waves and drowned in the sound of cracking thunder. A huge lightning bolt raced across the sky, followed by a split of thunder that seemed to come from the heavens themselves.

The Scholastic Assessment Test, SAT for short, is one of the most important tests for college applicants to take.  However, some students have trouble on the SAT because they do not prepare for it.  This article will go over how a student would prepare for the online format of the SAT, which will be used from the spring of 2024 onward.  The SAT is split into four main sections with two going over reading and English concepts, while the other two handle math concepts.  This test can be extremely daunting to students since it lasts two hours and 15 minutes (College Board).  However, with the correct preparation a student can go into the SAT well-equipped.

While we’re called to spread the Good News, we can’t change someone’s heart - only God can do that! But, we can gather some tools to put in our “Good News Toolkit!” The following are a few arguments for God that prove how rational it is to believe in Him!

The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) is a College Board test that is used for admissions into colleges and universities around the world.  This test consists of four individual sections split into two halves with one going over English and the other going over math.

Picture this: you are sitting at church on a bright Sunday morning. The strong scent of the older woman’s perfume in front of you is tickling your nose. You are begging your stomach to stop gurgling so loudly that the people in front of you turn their heads. The pastor has reached the final five minutes of his sermon. He is giving the congregation final reminders for the week. Loving others, reading your Bible, and obeying God. Wait a second, obeying God? You question in your mind, How in the world am I supposed to obey a distant creator? What possible directions could he have for me? Why would he even need to concern himself with my obedience? Well, NorthStar Bible teachers and spiritual leaders answered this in the hopes of bringing students closer to God and giving younger generations a deeper understanding of God. 

For years we’ve been told that a college or university degree is necessary to succeed in life. And in the fall of 2020, about 19.5 million people attend college in the U.S. (NCES). Yet, for many, the cost of college can be immense. So, as times change, more people are looking at alternatives to college.

After an extra few responses to this year’s valentine’s day advice article, here is part two, specially for you. 

I know what you’re thinking: “He ain’t a mechanic, why should I listen to him?” You’re right; you shouldn’t. I’m merely a student journalist trying to graduate with minimal brain damage. However, just  recently, I bought myself a car. And I learned many things the hard way, which prompted months of research. One thing to mention is that we will be focusing solely on gasoline powered cars here. 

*Advice and suggestions should be taken with a grain of salt and the Navigator is not liable for any personal negative consequences that may result from following our advice.

When it comes to matters of the heart, anything and everything can easily become difficult. Within a moment, you could either feel like fainting or running into someone’s arms… that is if you’re an 18th-century romantic. Nonetheless, our relationship/dating world is just becoming more and more complicated. It’s often hard to know what to do. Below is the second edition of the Navigator’s top relationship advice!

Is it good for goodbyes to be sad? As a TCK (Third Culture Kid), goodbyes are a normal part of my life, but that does not mean they get any easier. As a Christ follower, I know that goodbyes are never final, but even a “goodbye for now” is still hard. No matter who you are, goodbyes are hard. Goodbyes never get any easier, and sometimes it is ok to just let the tears flow.

*DISCLAIMER* This article is based strictly in the United States. Many things that are standard in the U.S. as listed here, such as legal statuses, regulations, practices, legislation, or legal ownership requirements may not exist in other countries. If you live outside the United States or U.S. Territories, research the laws and requirements according to your country of residence.

Many of you reading this article are probably looking for a car at this moment, that is why you clicked on it, right? Don’t judge, I am still honing my clickbait skills. Either way, there are a ton of things you need to consider before making a purchase. Remember, this car will be a part of you for years to come. Now, your first car probably won’t be a Tesla. I’m sorry if that is what you expected this article to be: How to get a Tesla for the first car. It probably won’t happen. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a nice car to commute from work or school in.

Christmas is coming quickly and this article may lengthen your Christmas list by one item: a graphics drawing tablet. Graphics drawing tablets can be immensely valuable to online students. This guide will help you decide whether or not you would benefit from one. 

We’ve all been in a situation where we’re either feeling the pressure of being behind in school or the immense desperation of trying to catch up. The best way to remedy this universal dilemma would obviously be to never get behind. For some, this might seem impossible, especially when you go along with the trend of “we’re all behind and it’s hilarious”. Being behind and staying behind can have grave consequences. Although it is possible, particularly with the help of NSA’s own Student Success coach, Mrs. Kimberly Smith. Nonetheless, some of us just need a guide on how to catch up on school, once and for all.

Now that you followed the link or just skipped the first article entirely(I would recommend reading Part I first, obviously) you can continue to read about cars:

*DISCLAIMER* This article is addressed specifically to residents of the United States. Many things that are standard in the U.S. as listed here, such as legal statuses, legislation, or legal ownership requirements may not exist in other countries. If you live outside the United States or U.S. Territories, research the laws and requirements according to your country of residence. Neither the author of his publication nor the NorthStar Navigator claim to be legal experts, nor should be taken as so. 

Are you a Microsoft Windows person? Or are you a Mac fan? This is a debate that never seems to end. Each side has a following of die-hard fans who insist that their OS (Operating System) has the better performance. Apple, the company that produces the Mac dynasty, is a widely popular OS, but keep in mind, about 90% of the world's computers run some version of Microsoft Windows.

Mrs. Velasquez, or Mrs. V as most call her, is a curriculum writer for NorthStar and the Student Council advisor for this year. That means she’s not only a leader for the school, but she’s in charge of leading the student leaders! And, if teaching young, tender, and sometimes timid students how to rise up and become leaders isn’t hard enough, she has to do it completely online, across many countries around the globe.

This year, I turned 50. That might seem ancient to some of you, but it was actually pretty exciting for me! Let me explain why…

Dear Fish,

I’ve never been a very sentimental person, but as I near the end of my senior year, I’m finding it harder and harder not to reminisce and look back over the last four years. Everyone tells you, ‘Time flies, so don’t wish it away,’ but you never realize how fast it all happens until it’s in the rear view.

Why do we get an education? You may suggest without further thought that the sole purpose of an education is to go to college, get a job, and succeed in life by whatever terms you set for yourself. While all these things are true, what if I told you that you had missed the point entirely? What if the reason we get an education is for the purpose of crafting our skill in articulation?

This one is for the seniors. We are getting ready to transition to a whole new season of life, an exciting and new one. You know, after we graduate from high school and everything. I definitely haven’t forgotten about that point, but I have also noticed a sort of decline in my motivation and care. Okay fine, not a sort of decline, a definite decline. I have decided to go ahead and give myself a degree and diagnose myself with a little thing called senioritis.