An ode to Memorial Union

Imagine yourself lounging with a view of Lake Mendota, your laptop and study materials out, ready to be productive, or with a pitcher of beer and some friends and live music playing around you, or even curled up with a good book and coffee as the snow falls out the window in front of you. Could there possibly be a place where all these scenarios can occur? You know there is. It’s Memorial Union.

What a mystical place. Our campus has very few places that are appealing everyday of the year and a must go to at all times, Memorial Union is just that. Despite all it has been going through for what seems like forever now, it has maintained its appeal and undeniable charm for people studying and procrastinators alike.

It is seeped in tradition. The terrace and its iconic chairs are a symbol for generations. So much so that the graduating class of 2016 couldn’t bare graduation without it as they all helped reopen the terrace for their special weekend, helping put up those chairs back where they belonged. If  you can’t sip a pitcher by the lake after graduation, do you even feel like you’ve graduated at all? I don’t think so.

The terrace’s live music in the summer also can’t be beat. The water as the background for the stage and pitchers upon pitchers to be filled, offer an atmosphere like nothing else. Tradition can also be found inside the union at the Der Rathskeller, another perfect location for a cozy place to drink a good beer and watch a game. Ask any alumni.

Recreation wise, at Memorial Union being bored is not an option. With Outdoor UW and Wisconsin Hoofers located in the bottom half, you can never go wrong with some sailing, paddle boarding, or even a great place to plan your next snowy ski adventure. More of a creative? The Wheelhouse studio offers just the place for that too.

Memorial Union is also the ideal place for studying. You can grab some caffeine from Peet’s Coffee and settle down to work with a view of the lake. It is so calming and serene it’s hard not to be inspired to be productive. It also helps that you are surrounded by other fellow Badgers working hard as well. Possibly, most importantly for your studying though there is no shortage of outlets to charge your laptop for hours of productivity.

So, whether it is boozing, chatting, studying, procrastinating, reminiscing, or something completely different, Memorial Union truly has it all. It is just about as photogenic as UW gets and isn’t going to change. Sorry Union South you’re a great alternative, but now that Memorial Union is almost back to normal it can take back its rightful place as THE Union on campus.