No other school’s way of celebrating the end of the school year compares to Mifflin. Mifflin has historical context to it, dating back to the Vietnam War riots right on UW Madison’s campus. Hands down, Mifflin is Wisconsin’s best spring celebration, even if it feels like spring is arriving late. We’ve endured Mifflin through rain or shine; I’m therefore positive that UW kids will still be drinking in whatever weather comes at them this year. Here’s how the experience of Mifflin changes as you get closer to graduation.
Freshmen Year
If you’re a typical freshman, chances are, you’re going to wake up in the dorms and not really know what to expect on Mifflin.
“Will this be like game day? Will my fake ID work at the KK this time?”
*Knocks on neighbors door* “What are you going to wear?”
*Googles what people wore last year*
“Does anyone know if we can drink beer on the street? I bet I’ll get a great picture later to prove to all the kids I went to high school with that UW-Madison is the best UW.”
*Doesn’t get any good pictures, blacks out by 6 p.m. and just has Snapchat stories of random people screaming “wooo”!*
Sophomore Year
“I should totally wake up early to make it to the pre-pregame that I missed out on last year.”
“I’m still not sure what to wear.”
“My friends and I can take a shot every time we see a flock of freshmen.”
“Maybe my new fake ID will work at the KK this time; I bet there’s a giant pregame at College Court we should go to first anyway.”
“OMG, I didn’t get any good pictures last year. I’ll make sure I get at least one good one before I blackout.”
*Blacks out by 7 p.m.*
*Loses one (or all) of three things: phone, keys, or wallet*
*Still didn’t get one salvageable picture, but posts it anyway*
Junior Year
“How many people are coming up and sleeping on my couch this year?”
“Who’s going on the alcohol run?”
“I have a paper due, but I’ll totally get it done on Sunday, I swear.”
“Do I need an umbrella this year?”
“I’ve finally figured out how to last all day — no shots before 9 a.m.”
*Peer-pressured into first shot by 8 a.m.*
“This is the first year I’ll finally gotten a good picture from Mifflin before I’m wasted.
“ Let’s take a shot for every kid getting an underage ticket on Mifflin.”
*Checks bank account*
“I wish the KK wouldn’t have let me in; it was so cheap to be underage. Where is everyone a-barring?”
*Can’t even tell what time you blacked out*
Senior Year
“This is the last year I can do this, so it’s got to be the best Mifflin ever. I’m not going to die, I want to remember this! I hope there are bouncy houses again this year. I want to last all day so I can do it all: bars, houses, pregames, ALL OF IT. Should I get one of those shirts? I should get one of those shirts as a souvenir.”
*Too lazy and doesn’t order a shirt*
*Wakes up late on Mifflin*
“I don’t think this will be as fun as freshmen year, I’m just going to go to say I went.”
*Has the best Mifflin*
*Wakes up under someone’s porch*
*Goes to job interview on Monday, clean and spiffy like nothing ever happened*
This is one party that no student here at UW wants to protest, despite all that faculty and police officials do to combat the block party. But that’s not news at all, since the whole thing started in fighting the authority anyway!