As the year begins to wind down, I think it’s important to reflect on all that UW had to offer over the course of the last twelve months. Between sports, events and other milestones, 2019 has been an amazing year for Badgers. Although the classes were hard and the due dates were endless, we found comfort in these non-academic activities to keep our Badger spirit at an all-time high. Here’s a look at what made this year so special, broken down by monthly highlights. Â
- January–Polar Vortex (Day Off from School!)
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I mean, there’s not really anything so “amazing” about temperatures that felt like they were less than -60 degrees, but the day off from school can surely classify as amazing! Even though we had just gotten back from break and most likely didn’t need the day off in terms of catching up on work and sleep, this day off was definitely a nice surprise (nd a fun way to brag to other friends about how we had a day off!)
- February–Lily’s Classic on Lake Mendota
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Well, the lake is frozen, so why not use it? Lily’s Classic is an annual boot hockey tournament held on Lake Mendota in an attempt to raise money for epilepsy research. The subzero temperatures and frozen solid lake don’t even phase us Badgers because the sun was out and the lighting for pictures was great. This year’s party on the lake definitely lived up to its expectations.
- March–UW Women’s Hockey Won Their 5th NCAA National Championship
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These girls are so amazing. They dominated so many games during their regular 2018-2019 season and they ended up receiving the ultimate title they deserved. Their relentless ambition and passion for the sport definitely didn’t go unnoticed by the student body. Hopefully, they can repeat as National Champions this year!
- April–Mifflin Block Party
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Ah, Mifflin. I’m still not exactly sure the point of Mifflin but it sure is fun and definitely gets a buzz from students throughout campus during the weeks leading up to it. Basically, it’s like a game day in April, except it’s not and it’s honestly crazier than any other game day. People are walking aimlessly in the middle of the street and speakers are blasting in your ears, but it’s definitely one of the most fun days of the year (even though it did snow…in April).
 - May–JJ Watt Spoke at Graduation
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May was definitely both sad and happy. Leaving our best friends for almost four whole months was anything but happy. But watching a Badger alumni and one of the NFL’s greats speak at 2019 Commencement–now that was happy. This speech should remind each and every Badger how widespread and unbelievable their alumni network truly is. We should be proud and excited to be Badgers day in and day out!
- June–Terrace Season was Full Swing
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The sun is out and the winter is now becoming a memory in the back of our minds, even if it’s not a distant one quite yet. The bright and colorful chairs on the Terrace reminded all of its inhabitants why we love to call this place home. A nice, warm afternoon on the Terrace is one of the best parts of this school and it’s actually sounding extremely appealing at this moment.
- July–Still Terrace Season, but Back to School is Approaching!
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Not only is Terrace Season in full swing now, but so is summer as a whole. The days are long and hot and the sunsets are bright and warm. At this point, people were dipping more than just their toes in the lake after tanning on the grass by the water. Maybe even more exciting than this, though, you could now say “see you next month” to your besties!
- August–Back to School (Finally!)
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FINALLY! What we were really all waiting for. A relaxing summer at home is for sure what we all needed as a break from the grind of balancing schoolwork and social life, but it was so exciting to hang out with my friends that I hadn’t seen in so long. Getting back to school was awesome and it felt like things picked up exactly where they left off.
- September–The Badgers Beat the Wolverines
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With game days and football season coming back, the student body was incapable of keeping themselves under control. The game against Michigan was no exception, either. The 35-14 Badger win was the talk of not only the town but of sports-lovers nationwide as well. Our undefeated team instilled so much hope in every student, but, hey, things don’t always work out as planned. At least we were still able to brag to our friends that go to the University of Michigan!
- October–Halloween (Two Times!)
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With Halloween falling on a Thursday this year, the question of when to celebrate it was a daunting one. The weekend before? The night of? The weekend after? Well, as Badgers do, we decided to essentially have three Halloweens, making it triple the fun. We even invited Lil Yachty to our Halloween parties on Saturday night!
- November–Thanksgiving with Family
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After a long and grueling exam season, Thanksgiving served as a perfect time to relax with family and catch up with old friends. We are so caught up in our schoolwork for the majority of the semester that sometimes these two activities are not as easy to find time for. It’s also the best time to reflect on what we have and how thankful we are for the last year. I know we all should have at least one thing to be thankful for as UW students, and that’s Paul’s Pelmeni.
- December–Finals are Over
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Wow. Another semester pushed to the wayside as we continue to pave the pathways for our futures. Time really does fly when you’re having fun with new and old friends, but it also tends to fly when you have an exam each week for six weeks in a row. Now is the time for a month-long break away from work and stress, even if it does mean not seeing your friends for this amount of time. In that regard, though, we always have the next semester to look forward to!
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As 2019 comes to a close, I think it’s important that we remember the good times throughout the year. With exams constantly consuming our thoughts and studying consuming our actions, it can be easy to take what we have at this bar-none university for granted. After this year, I am only ecstatic to see what 2020 has to offer, since 2019 is going to be pretty hard to beat! Â