Growing up in Wisconsin is an experience like no other. As a child, I would spend most of my summers outside with my friends playing baseball, going to the Hartford pool and Landon Quarry for the most part. Fishing with my grandpa at Big Cedar, Winnebago, and Lake Twelve.  As well as just enjoying how beautiful Wisconsin is in the summer. In the fall we would go pick apples with my grandparents at Rim’s Edge Orchard and when on a long road trip up north my brothers and I would see all the leaves changing colors which amused us. In the winter, we would build snowmen, go sledding, and enjoy one of the many things Wisconsin is known for; the wintertime.

As I had grown older, There was much more to Wisconsin than the scenery. The places that are only in Wisconsin make it what Wisconsin is: Kwik Trip and Saz’s. Both are very iconic in their own right. Kwik Trip is the most iconic place in Wisconsin right up there with UW-Madison and the Green Bay Packers.

Kwik Trip was a place you can go to whenever you want. It was always open (most of them at least) and just get a drink or a snack with some friends or family. I would go to Kwik trip and get a range of things depending on the time of day. If it was the morning I would get either the hash browns freshly cooked, the chocolate muffins, or the classic Kwik Trip Glazers along with a chocolate milk. Lunchtime would usually be a lemonade and then get a burger or mac and cheese more than likely. As well as night time maybe get a mountain dew if we are on the road.

At Saz’s it would be a list full of items I would and could eat there. I would eat at Summerfest working there, the cheese curds, chive fries, and Mozzarella Sticks. When I would go out to Saz’s I’d end up getting the steak, the mac and cheese, and mozzarella sticks. All taste amazing and Saz’s is a very underrated restaurant to go to.

Something about Wisconsin that seems to be forgotten is the people we have here. Wisconsin feels like one big community. Everyone here loves to enjoy the summer together, with the 4th of July and just random events with one another. Big parties and just welcoming people. The parents don’t feel like parents but more like older friends when everyone is together. When something happens people are willing to come out. A neighbor heard a loud bang at our house and call the police to try and help us. In reality, it was our generator but they didn’t hesitate to call the police to make sure everything was safe for us and the rest of our community. 

Wisconsin also has a very rich culture, with a long history in agriculture, manufacturing, and art. With cheese curds to the beer, there are many unique choices to have. With both being so iconic, the beer has the baseball team named after it, and cheese is a staple in the Green Bay Packer fanbase known as Cheeseheads. Wisconsin is more than just a place to live — it’s a way of life. It's a place where you can enjoy the world around you, and the people around you, and truly feel like you belong. That's why I’ve loved living in Wisconsin my whole life, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.