As winter approaches in Fairbanks, it is essential to prepare your camera for Alaska’s climate and capture flawless photos. Whether you are a casual photographer or a professional, preparation is important for handling the cold months ahead.

Grief has no single language, yet no two people speak it quite the same. One summer morning, I experienced grief when my beloved cat was put down.

This September, Nanook Traditions hosted UAF’s 103rd Starvation Gulch, a campus tradition dating back to 1923. The annual festival has undergone many changes over the years, beginning as a student-built bonfire designed to resemble a frontier town. Since then, Starvation Gulch has served as an outlet for celebration and rebellion alike.

It wasn’t exactly what I had imagined when I signed up for mammalogy class. Mammalogy is the study of mammals, a group that includes much of Alaska’s most characteristic wildlife. We had brought a stuffed animal and a Bluetooth speaker into the August snowstorm.

Food was eaten, fun was had, and memories were made. Despite the rainy weather, I found plenty to enjoy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ fourth annual Alaska Nanooks Food Truck Rally. The event took place in the Patty Center parking lot on Saturday, Sept. 6, and the turnout did not disappoint.

Rainy weather didn’t deter a crowd from gathering at Ester Community Park for the fifth annual Fairbanks Fungi Festival, a day filled with mushrooms, food, costumes and family-friendly activities.

Many of the newer Nanooks are looking forward to experiencing campus life and can’t wait to see what awaits them throughout the upcoming school year. Party in the Park heightened this excitement as the University of Alaska Fairbanks welcomed students back to campus Aug. 27 with its  annual celebration of Party in the Park celebration at Constitution Park!

There will be mud! Last Sunday, new student orientation leaders in collaboration with Nanook Recreation hosted a mud volleyball tournament in the Tanana parking lot. Eight teams of students faced off in a battle for the winning title. The tournament also had a complimentary barbecue and other field games such as spikeball for students to enjoy. 

Twenty-one students in UAF’s Emerging Scholars program traveled to Denali National Park on Aug. 14, where they hiked near the Savage River and watched a dog mushing demonstration before boarding the Alaska Railroad for a four-hour trip back to Fairbanks.

Peonies may be one of Alaska’s most successful specialty crops, and the Georgeson Botanical garden celebrated that legacy during its annual Wine and Peonies fundraiser.

The Alaska Nanooks women’s volleyball team made its home debut at the Patty Center over the weekend in the Ice-Block Challenge. The Nooks started strong with a 3-0 win against the Tiffin University Dragons on Thursday, then collected another win in the five-set thriller against Minnesota State on Friday, but fell short against No. 9-ranked Fresno Pacific, 0-3.

Over the weekend, athletes from the University of Alaska Fairbanks ski, rifle and swim teams took part in the NCAA Championships. With four All-Americans and two individual titles, the Nanooks presented a successful end of the NCAA season.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks’ hockey team ended the 2025-26 season winning the first edition of the United Collegiate Hockey Cup 4-3 against Lindenwood. The Nanooks took home the tournament trophy after a tight final game ending in overtime on March 7. This is their second title of 2026 after the Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup win against Anchorage.

In February UAF’s Nordic skier Rosie Fordham competed at the XXV Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina. She took part in 5 out of the 6 events dedicated to nordic skiing for the Australian team. Fordham sat down with The Sun Star to reflect on her training process, Fairbanks’ upsides and downsides, and offered insights on ways UAF could support the development of its endurance athletes. 

The University of Alaska Fairbanks basketball teams celebrated their seniors during the last home game held Feb. 28 at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium. The women's team fell 73-58 to Western Oregon while the men's team won 82-74 against Western Oregon. Before the games began, each senior was honored in a celebratory ceremony, surrounded by their families, friends and loved ones. Names, stats, a brief bio and heartfelt words from the coaches were shared with the crowd.

The Nanooks secured a 6-2 victory against the UAA Seawolves last Saturday in Anchorage, winning the team the Governor’s Cup title for the 15th consecutive year. With UAF already having the title secured, the teams faced off in two final homecourt games in the Carlson Center this Friday and Saturday.

Junior Dorka Dancsok set a new program record for the University of Alaska Fairbanks. On Thursday, Feb. 12, winning the 400-yard individual medley at the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference, or PCSC, Championships. Dancsok, a junior, finished in 4 minutes and 23.31 seconds, the fastest time ever recorded by a UAF swimmer in the event; she improved on her own record from December by more than a second.

Will you be my Valentine, Nook? Over Valentine’s weekend UAF women’s basketball hosted Simon Fraser University and Western Washington University on February 12 and 14. With the season coming to a close at the end of the month, the Nanooks are hungry for a win in their remaining six games. The Nanooks lost 54-92 to Simon Fraser; they lost 28-60 against Western Washington.

Five current or former athletes from the University of Alaska Fairbanks will represent their home countries at the Winter Olympics starting next week in Milano, Italy. 

The University of Alaska Fairbanks women’s and men’s basketball teams hosted the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets and the Seattle Pacific University Falcons for a pair of GNAC matchups on January 22 and 24. 

The Alaska Nanooks competed at home for the last time this season, hosting Westmont College on Friday and Saturday, January 16 and 17, for a two day heated rivalry. The Nanooks secured a 100-86 victory over the Westmont Warriors on Friday, but fell short 91-95 in a close battle on Saturday. 

The Nanooks women’s volleyball team dominated the Seattle Pacific Falcons 3–0 Thursday night at the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium during Military Appreciation Night.

The team will face off against the University of Alaska Anchorage Volleyball team during the NCAA Division II women’s volleyball championships December 11-13 in South Dakota.