Why I’m glad I chose Wisconsin over Minnesota

Like any eager high school student, I toured college upon college hoping to find my perfect match. After months of deliberating, decision time came. And when many of my close friends chose the University of Minnesota, I became a Badger and have never looked back. Here’s why.

Madison is the perfect blend of college town and city

I grew up taking trips to Minneapolis with my family and friends. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a certain wonder to the place that I always admired. But above all, it is a city. And just like any city, is busy, crowded, loud, and sometimes dirty. With Madison, I found I had the best of both worlds. It combines the stereotypical college town with the beauty of a city (that’s cleaner and quieter than Downtown Minneapolis).

Madison is the perfect distance from home

There was a time I wanted to go to school far, far away from home. But as graduation approached, I realized that it would be tough to leave my family and friends behind. Madison is the perfect distance. It’s far enough where I am independent and in a new place, but close enough that if I’m craving some home cooking or hugs I can hop on a bus and head home. College kids can miss out on the independence of college when they stay close to home and the U of M was just too close.

I wanted to experience new things

I grew up loving Minneapolis but by the time I hit 18, many of the aspects of the city were repetitive. I wanted to step a little out of my comfort zone and experience a place I never had before. Madison is so different (read: better) than Minneapolis, and I’m able to experience new food, new cultures, and a new city. It’s exhilarating, and far better than going to school in a place I’ve known forever.

The school culture cannot be beat

You notice it immediately when you walk onto campus: the pride of being a Badger. You can’t walk a step without seeing red or hearing school chants. I was lucky enough to experience a football game at Camp Randall before deciding to attend, and I’d be lying if I said my breath wasn’t taken away. Being surrounded by 80,000 fans who bleed Badger red, feeling the electricity in the air when the team plays, and experiencing “Varsity” was unforgettable. It was maybe even the moment when I decided that Madison was the school for me.

Everything and everyone is beautiful here

Madison is settled in between two incredible lakes, and during any season the views cannot be matched by any view you could ever get in Minneapolis. The school was established in 1848 – three years before the U of M, I might add – and has beautiful, historic buildings as well as sleek, modern buildings. The people are genuinely wonderful. No matter the weather, I wake up smiling because my city is breathtaking.

I fell in love

I knew the minute I stepped on campus that I was meant to be a Badger. I still love my Minnesota friends (even though they’ve yet to understand that Wisco is always better), but I feel sorry that they can’t experience the amazement I feel each day I wake up a student of this great University of Wisconsin.