The time is only 12:00 PM. Each gust of sharp wind periodically chills the sunburn spread across my shoulders. Kids yell with amusement in the background of the music bumping through the small speaker that is lodged neatly in the sand. Small waves from Lake Michigan attempt to race up the sand but fail leaving trails of seaweed. To some people Lake Michigan is a hazard to their health, they look at it as dangerous. But as for my friends and me, we see Lake Michigan as an opportunity for fun.

The volleyball swiftly flies through the air back and forth up and over the net. Sweat flows in a drip pattern off of my head making its place into the sand. The time is now 3:00 PM, the sun still trying to grasp all of the energy out of me. 

“Yo, are y'all about ready to go to the game?” Will asks the group. 

“Yea let’s pack up quick first,” Jacie explains.

We shake off our towels, and try to brush off sand lodged in our belongings. As we rush back towards the car a group of adults walk past us carrying a plastic dish filled with cheese curds and a huge burger, I see that the food is from Moosa’s as my mouth begins to water up. The smell of fried cheese coated with mass amounts of grease fills the air around us. 

The time is now 6:30. We have just arrived at Deer District, sneaking our way to the front of the extensive line. Fiserv Forum standing tall in front of us, blocking the breeze that could easily wipe out the smell of cigarettes burning. My jersey dragging down on my burnt shoulders, I look around and see people shoving in every direction trying to catch a glimpse of the huge flat screen being displayed. My energy is gone, but the last thing I want to do is leave. The crowd roars as Middleton drains yet another three-pointer. A smile is painted across the faces of everyone in the area. I find my head drifting into the crowd in slow motion, the whole community screaming with such joy. 

The time is now 11:00 PM. My energy levels have depleted. I am exhausted. The Bucks won this game, which means that the next game could be a championship game. In the car the traffic barely moves, the streets are filled with people cheering, kids running around, everywhere I look I see someone in a Bucks jersey or some sort of Bucks attire. In the passenger seat, my eyes begin to fade, barley being about to keep them open. 

The time is now 12:30 PM. The mellow music whispers in my ear as the cold air conditioning softly brushes against my face. My mind begins to wander. Today was fun. I don’t understand why we don’t come to Milwaukee more often. The scary stereotype that Milwaukee used to have in my head has now vanished.  It is beautiful. It is comforting. It feels as if I belong here. It is my home. Wisconsin is my home.