Advice for UW-Madison First-Year Students, from Those Who Have Been There

One needs a good map and strong legs.

When WAA President and CEO Paula Bonner MS'78 recently asked alumni what advice they'd give to this year's eager and apprehensive first-year students, she was overwhelmed with responses: over 400 of them!

It turns out that our accomplished alumni from around the world had a lot of reflections and tips to hand down to future alumni. For example, a judge wrote:

"I am writing this after a very long day, in the middle of a very long jury trial. But my W mug is always with me on the bench. What would I say to a freshman? Stop; cherish the time, the opportunities and the people. There will never be another sunset on Lake Mendota like the one you will see tonight."

So, read on and be inspired! There's lots of good advice here, for first-year students, for fun, and for all of us.

"Tell them the rearview mirror is smaller than the windshield for a reason. You're supposed to look ahead more than you look back. While your family and friends have helped shape you into the person you currently are, your experiences at Madison will help you define the type of person you will become. You won't forget the lessons of the past; just know that there is so much more waiting out there for you to discover."

"In 1954, I went to the UW knowing three people. I came from Cleveland, and I knew a sophomore and two freshmen from my high school in Shaker Heights, Ohio. I made lifelong friends that year who are true to this day. We have reunions in Madison every few years. I loved being in Madison and even met my husband on a blind date. We have been married 45 years this September. The UW has been very, very good to me and provided me with a fine, liberal arts education. It was a bit frightening to meet with my freshman class of 9,000 people when I knew under 10 at that time! I wouldn't change a thing of my experience."

"I always have held fond memories of my wonderful days on the Madison campus and know that a new freshman can, too. My best advice is to relax and enjoy every aspect of the campus experience. Do concentrate on the academics; they will certainly benefit you in years to come; but become involved in the other aspects of campus life: social, sports, government and chapters. The contacts you make enjoying these activities will develop your self-confidence and prepare you for the tasks of life. I may not have remembered all the technical material I obtained while on the Madison campus, but I will never forget the maturity it gave me. Good luck and remember you will always be a Badger wherever you may roam!"

"Do EVERYTHING you can to be enlightened. Seek enlightenment."


"Engrave in your heart the words on Bascom Hall: the constant sifting and winnowing for truth. Have that direct your lifework."


"Persist, no matter what."


"Question authority."


"Take on the major tasks on the planet now, as students: narrowing the gap between wealth and total poverty, finding alternative power/energy sources to continue our techno-lives, continuing the quest for cellular intervention in major diseases, etc. Empower all on the planet to end their own hunger and starvation: feeding a man only ends the hunger for the moment; teaching him to fish allows him, with dignity, to feed himself, his family."


"Love yourself first and share that love with all."


"The dean's welcoming message was the typical orientation speech until he stopped, looked around and said, 'Look at the person on either side of you and include yourself. Two out of the three of you will not graduate from the University of Wisconsin for one reason or another. Who will it be?' That speech hit home. I made a beeline back to the dorms to hit the books."

"I speak not only as a member of WAA and a graduate from 1973, but also as the father of a soon to be sophomore at UW.

I would offer four pieces of advice: first, get at least seven hours of sleep every weekday night your first semester. The radical change in your lifestyle cannot possibly be imagined right now, but when you face it decently rested, it will be much easier to handle.

Second, have fun, especially on weekends, and let your hair down. If you do choose to drink, please use your better judgment and especially do not binge drink. At the least, it will mess up your life for a few days; at the worst, it could easily take your life.

Third, keep in mind that no one class, nor one test, nor one date, nor one rotten roommate can successfully control you or your UW experience. Take each day one at a time and enjoy it fully. If you set reasonable goals for yourself and look for the positive each day, you will graduate in four or five years with a degree that will open doors for you the rest of your life, no matter your field of (eventual) study.

Finally, take a different path home every day. See something new, stop and smell the campus air, gaze at Lake Mendota from Breese Terrace, eat Badger ice cream at least once per week, and if you are religious, maintain contact with your faith.

These are words I only wished my parents had given me way back in the early fall of 1969 and words very similar to those I gave our son one year ago. He maintained a 3.06 GPA in mechanical engineering, was involved in three extra-curricular activities on campus last year, and can’t wait for this year to begin."

"My advice is: 1) form study groups with people you suspect are smarter than you; 2) visit professors during their office hours to go over your work/questions."


"'Go for it!'


"'You can do it!'


"Where would I have been today if I had not had these short motivating phrases implanted way down deep into my head/mind/subconscious? I am not really sure where, but I do know that they were put there by my mother who repeated them so many times to a baby striving to take that first step, then during kindergarten, primary, and high school when I had to go far away to a boarding school where I would be a work/study student in exchange for a good, private school that my poor parents could never dream of paying for the University of Liberia. I had to challenge my government with a law suit before they were forced into making special arrangements for me to enroll in the School of Agriculture and Forestry, which had never had a female student or lecturers, and finally to graduate school in a far away world so cold that the tears froze if I cried.

"I do know that if ever I felt that the venture I began taking that first step, school, sports, resisting the temptation to try out bad habits for the heck of it, drop out of the subject area for which I had real passion because it was difficult and choose something easy just to get by; if ever I thought about quitting, go for it, 'you can do it' popped up and clouded the negative thoughts out. It was not always easy because the negative thoughts came back and back again, appearing stronger and stronger each time, but 'go for it, you can do it' won each time and they keep on winning today. Freshmen will each have something that gets them up when they fall, and keeps them driven when there is the temptation to give in. They must call on this whenever the going gets rough."

“Here is a tip I learned the hard way: when you don’t understand something or need information on a topic, look for a children’s book on that subject. All the important information is there, plus there will be a bibliography leading you to adult books on the topic.

“I taught my own children this years ago (can’t tell you how many papers in college got started this way) and now instruct all of my graduate students to start with a children’s book first.”

“The incoming class may not realize how widely respected a degree from UW-Madison is within the business community. This represents both a distinct advantage and challenge for the students. They are able to leverage the implied value of a UW degree upon graduation. However, they must continue the commitment to excellence during their time in Madison to ensure that the value of the diploma remains at a very high level.

“You may wish to remind them also that, with this powerful academic credential, there is no limit to what they can accomplish. When I went through SOAR, I was told that based upon my ACT score, GPA and class standing that I would likely fail in school. Earlier this year, I celebrated by 11th year as president and CEO of a $20 million (revenues) investment firm. The professional success I’ve been blessed with is due in large part to the breadth and depth of life experiences from my time at UW-Madison.”

“I am not sure I remember a whole lot about that freshman first day at Wisconsin. But here are some thoughts:

“Stress that everything does not have to be accomplished the first week, first month or first semester.

“College is not just courses and academics; it is a lot of social growing and having enjoyable times.

“Advising is critical. Professors and peer advisors actually know what they are doing and advice you receive from other students should be taken cautiously. Also professors and advisors like helping students; that’s why they are in the profession they are in! Pay attention to when they give out office hours.

“Enjoy the environment you are in. Go for a walk in the Arboretum, it is one of the greatest in the world. You don’t have to be a sports nut to enjoy the athletics on campus. Go to at least one football game and experience the Fifth Quarter. Try and go to a minor sporting event, such as volleyball or field hockey; you will be very impressed.

“No decision that you make that very first semester will come back and haunt you the rest of your career. So relax and enjoy the moment.

“Wisconsin is a world-class institution, and you should be proud to be there! You may not realize this the first day, but you certainly will as life goes on.”

“The best advise I can give is to take the time to figure out who you want to be — not who others perceive you to be. Take the opportunity to reinvent yourself into your best you. Follow your goals and dreams and raise your own expectations of yourself, while being true to the you that you are becoming; not the you that you were in high school.”

“First and foremost, dive in headfirst and be a Badger!”


“Wear red and white with pride.”


“Learn the words to ‘On Wisconsin,’ ‘Varsity’ and ‘If You Want to be Badger.’


“Cherish the walks up Bascom Hill, eating Babcock Hall fudge-marble ice cream every day, fun times with new friends on the Terrace, State Street and the Capitol lights at night.”

“Go not only to a football, hockey or basketball game, but check out the soccer team, track team and rowing team, too.”

“Study hard, but remember that the chapters and activities that you join and the friends that you make are important, too!”

“Most of all, know that wherever you go once you leave Madison, you will always be a Badger and that as you’re walking down the streets of many cities, big and small, throughout the world, if you’re wearing a Wisconsin t-shirt, sweatshirt or jacket, you’ll likely be surprised when someone yells to you ‘Go Badgers!’ And after it happens often enough, you’ll realize what it truly means to be a Badger.”

“It’s the experience of college that helps you grow. I wish someone had told me to milk it for all it’s worth. Talk to all the different people; try things you wouldn't normally try, experience all there is at the UW.

“Sometimes you will have a degree that you knew you wanted, which you will use the rest of your life. Sometimes you will have a degree that you thought you would use that just helps get you an interview. Sometimes it isn’t so much the content of the degree or the prestige of the UW degree, but rather the years spent growing, changing, becoming the potential you dream of as a freshman by the time you graduate; this is what makes the years at Madison so memorable. I can’t imagine my life without the experience. It’s not only about the top education you receive. It's the little moments. Sharing a dorm room with a stranger. Learning to schedule your time between studies and fun. Studying for exams into the wee-hours of the night. Football games, hockey games. Afternoons on the terrace with friends. Late-night chats with others. Mid-winter snowball fights with 500 of your closest friends. All of it helps you become a better human being. I would not be the person I am today without it. Learn all you can, study when you should and enjoy each and every moment before you leave. It is all worth it!”

“I just went to Washington, D.C., for the weekend and had dinner with a good friend I met in the dorm my freshman year, 1973. That is a 32-year time frame over which we have supported each other, laughed and cried with each other. The single most important advice to give incoming freshmen is to find good friends and nurture those relationships. No one can survive totally on his own.”

“As you approach your upcoming year, you might be thinking short term. New roommates, dorm life, cafeteria food and football games. As all of these things do affect your daily life, the journey you are about to take will affect you for the rest of your life. You are joining a legacy of people who consider themselves lucky to have taken the same steps you are about to take. A legacy of people who are proud to have attended your university, and who are proud to say they are from Wisconsin.

“I look back very fondly of my four years in Madison. I think about days at the Terrace, walking up Bascom in the winter, sitting in Section O at Camp Randall and evenings on State Street. I wouldn’t trade anything for those four years, and I can guarantee you that 10 years from now, when you’re writing a letter similar to this one, you’ll feel the same way.

“It’s such a unique experience that a short letter could never fully capture how I feel now, or how you will feel. But my advice to you is this: take it all in. Try new things. See new places and experience everything you can. You may not like everything you try, but you’ll be all the better for it. Meet as many people as you can, and make lots of friends. Work like an adult, and play like a kid. It’ll be your last chance to balance your life like this. And someday, five years from now when you’re a proud alum, you'll get choked up writing a letter like this, too.

“Good Luck to you, and congratulations on choosing one of the best schools in the world! Go Badgers!”

“I have two rules which I practiced myself and which I instructed my three children and all of their friends who have been admitted to the great state university:

1. attend every class (especially if you haven’t read the material or are behind); and
2. sit in the front row, as close to the professor as possible.

“Why this advice? The professor talks about what he or she thinks is important, and you won’t know unless you hear about it in class. If you sit in the front, close to the professor, you have a better chance of remaining alert, and you will actually get to know the professor. It’s much easier to talk to him or her up close, and most of them welcome more interaction with students than they get.

“I know that this strategy worked for me, and I have had my own kids and many of their friends tell me after the fact that it worked for them!”

“To the incoming class:

“You have chosen to seek your education at what may be the finest university in all America, perhaps even the world. It is not that our professors are the most accomplished, or our students the most academically honored. But what Wisconsin is about is asking good questions, driving great inquiries and having great conversations. Our motto is Forward. Our pastime is Thinking, and our time here is focused on the Great Questions. If you can turn your answer into a question at Wisconsin, there is no doubt you will succeed here.”

“The first six weeks I was a freshman, I was so overwhelmed that I’d look around at the seniors and wonder how they ever made it.

“After six weeks, I couldn't believe that anyone COULDN’T make it.

“Keep plugging.”

“For all the good, the bad and the crazy that you hear about the mysterious “freshman roommate,” enjoy to the fullest the experience of living with a group of strangers. These people might become your best friends, your worst nightmares, or the smiling strangers you simply pass in the halls while noting with nothing more than a nod hello. They’ll help shape your experience more than you can imagine.

“These individuals will become your most important classroom on campus. Your remaining time in Madison will be structured on the moments you share with them. The loud neighbor that has a strange smell emanating from his or her room, the quiet one you never talk to, the person you think you can never live without, and then the one you find out you are to them. They are your windows into life beyond the books, outside of the libraries, past the confines of Madison. They will teach you just as much as the professors, and sometimes even more. And one day, some years later when you stop admitting just how long it’s been since you graduated, you will look back on these teachers and thank them for everything they taught you.

“The funny thing is, tonight, for the first time since graduation, I am going to dinner with the guy I lived next door to in my freshman dorm. Crazy how this e-mail showed up today of all days.”

“One of the incoming freshmen you will be addressing is my daughter, who is starting her collegiate experience in the honors program, pre-med. Here is my list of tips for new freshmen:

Always go to showings of old movies, like Psycho or Marx Brothers films. They’re really great, and you’ve never seen them!

Accept every invitation to do something new (and legal). If you don’t get invitations, just show up!

Talk to your professors. They’re lonely way up there in their ivory towers. Unlike high school teachers, they mostly like students.

Learn to sleep in the afternoon. Let’s face it: nights are for fun or studying. Don’t burn the candle from both ends.

Walk everywhere. That will prevent the “freshmen 15.”

Madison is a great place for this.

Be a Hoofer. Where else are you going to have sailboats and skulls at your disposal?

Stow your shyness, be friendly and approachable, and meet everyone you can. You have the opportunity to make yourself over, or be as you were, with new people.

Make lists of what you have to do, and then check them off as you do them. I know, sounds simple, but your parents have been doing that for you. It’s your turn.

TCB. Take care of business. Your job is to study and learn, so do it. Keep your world as clean as possible; no one else will do that for you.

Your grades in high school were for your parents. The grades you get now are for you and your future. This is what we call responsibility. Embrace it and enjoy it.

If you are feeling blue, call home! We love you and miss you. We’re there for you. Actually, we wish we could be you, enjoying the freedom and discovery that you will experience.

“With all of our love, admiration and best wishes for success,

“Your parents.”

“Tell them that the most important things they learn during college will not be in the classroom. Yes, going to classes and studying are important, but they are not the entire picture. They don’t want to just ‘go’ to college, but they want to ‘experience’ college. This means taking advantage of the hundreds of opportunities available and also being open to trying new things. Go to a hockey game on Saturday night and the Carillon concert on Sunday afternoon. If you are a liberal arts major, study at the engineering library and vice versa. Go to a frat or sorority party. Go to the Arboretum and Picnic Point. Play an intramural sport with your dorm floor. Walk up State Street and around the other side of the Capitol. Second semester, keep adding to the list.

“You will never have more time or a greater opportunity to experience as many new and different things as you will in college. As they say, Opportunity is a bald headed man with a beard. When he knocks on your door, grab him by the beard because if you wait too long, he will turn and walk away with nothing for you to grab hold of.“

"Tell them that they are going to one of the best universities in the world and that they can get a superior education. All they have to do is try.“They should also understand the words of Winston Churchill: “Never give up.”

“The Sifting and Winnowing plaque concepts have been central to me, since graduating. My education at the UW — academic, social, and values — all helped me understand that my entire life would involve sifting and winnowing.

“Life is a never-ending series of choice-points. I have a far better life, because I learned to inform myself, to effectively sift and winnow my options, and to realize the best possible outcomes.

“A recent example is prostate cancer. The alternative treatments are many, the medical providers are many, yet the outcome affects only me and those that care about me. I found tremendous resources, sifted and winnowed, and on October 7, 2003, I had surgery, performed by two of the best (outcome results) surgeons in the Pacific Northwest. Today, almost two years later, I am cancer-free and have no significant life complications from the cancer.

“I believe in the sifting and winnowing process.”

“You’ve caught me in a bit of a reminiscent mood when being asked to think back! There are a few things I’m aware connected me with the UW and made it successful, however. Here goes!

“As big as it is, there’s a “world of friendliness” to be had.

“Be open to all the new faces and places — and learn from them.

“Study hard, play hard and go away smarter for doing it, not sorrier.

“You are making lifetime connections.

“Don’t forget to sit on the Terrace and ‘make’ a memory of it.

“They’re pretty basic! However, I do believe they might, in part, encapsulate my experience spent at UW beginning with my freshman year! “

“Above all, they should recognize up front that four years of college pursued with average/minimum effort will be a wasted opportunity, as would not sampling regularly Babcock Dairy ice cream.”

“Entering the UW as a 17-year-old freshman in the fall of 1959, I wish someone would have impressed on me to listen. I found in my 36 years as the chief financial officer of three different colleges that I should have honed my listening skills while I was still at the university. I worked hard at it over the years and became known as the person who would reject nothing out of hand, except violence, as a possible solution to the issue we were dealing with. You will be surprised and pleased with the creative things your colleagues will come up with if they know that you really will consider them.”

“My first year in Madison was 1954. Time does fly. Coming out of high school, I really did not know what to expect, and I guess I just stumbled into the classes I took. At that time they were pretty much set for incoming freshman.

“Looking back at that period of my life and my years at Madison, I can now see that I lucked out in my education. In my sophomore year, I signed up for the School of Pharmacy, and because I had taken most of the required science classes, I had the opportunity to take many electives that were not in the area of science. The reason I mention this is that I believe a university education is a unique opportunity to reach out and sample areas of life that you may not ever have considered. I took courses in drama, literature and history, which were not part of a general science program. The exposure to these areas has had a major effect on my life. Without having the opportunity to taste them early, I would have missed much of which has enriched my life.

“My advice to any freshman is to use your life at the university to taste and sample areas that you would never have thought of before you arrived. You may find that your career plans could both change and be enhanced by this sampling procedure. Parents, teachers and advisors are all potential influences on a young adult’s life, but experience and tasting is even better. I’d tell freshmen that their years at the university should be fun as well as educational. I don’t mean drinking and partying. It is a transition between being dependent on others and making a career for oneself. They should make the most of it. They will never regret it. When they graduate they should recognize that the journey they just completed is the start of an even more exciting journey through life.”

“My advice to incoming freshmen would be to compliment them upon making so many good choices in their lives. They would not be in the audience, if they had not done so.

“I would encourage them to continue to use their good judgment to make choices that will honor themselves and what they value. Students can not know what they can do with their lives, what they can discover, who they can influence, or what ways they can make this a better world unless they give themselves the chance. Education is an important key to discovering the answers to these questions.

“Remind freshmen that the road to an outstanding education is not the easiest road to travel, but worth the effort. Give the freshmen access to success by providing the support systems that are available to them. Name some of the campus resources that will help them through the difficult times.

“Encourage students to write down names and telephone numbers of classmates during their first week of classes. They can build a ‘survival network’ that is independent of the institution that will see them through, day by day.

“Let students know education is a lifetime occupation, and we count on them to continue to learn on-the-job when they take over the future leadership roles.

“Change is okay. If you’re not doing as well as you thought you would in a given course of study, don’t stay the course for too long and take your lumps. Branch out and try something else. Chances are, there’s something there at which you’ll excel.”

“How refreshing to have our input solicited! As a marketing researcher, I heartily endorse your research!

“Here are a couple of things I wished I had perhaps realized a bit more when I started at UW-Madison:

“I wished I’d gone into the experience with a more open mind. I grew up in a very small town in Wisconsin. Even though I knew I was going to school where there were tens of thousands of students, I wasn’t quite prepared to see everyone from different countries, backgrounds, ages and speaking different languages. It was overwhelming at first, but once I got over my initial shock, seeing how big and yet how small the world is was one of the most precious gifts my education at UW-Madison gave me.

“Get involved in at least one activity you love. I was a theater major, so it was a godsend that I had an affinity for something where a lot of helping hands were needed. I made a lot of friends and learned a lot about theater and myself through that experience. If you don’t get involved at least in some small measure, I think you miss out on a valuable part of your education.

“If you live in a dorm, get to know your housefellow. Your housefellow is a wealth of information and the good ones are also wonderfully supportive and good role models. I was a housefellow in Chadbourne Hall for many years, and that experience was a very defining one for me. I still correspond with many of my ‘girls,’ and I know that having me as a resource helped them get acclimated to the university sooner.

“Balance the studying with fun. Your college experience can’t be just one or the other; you have to have a balance if you want to stay sane and get the most out of the experience. Grab a few friends and do things that tickle you and make you belly laugh. For us, it was strolling down State Street, sitting outside on the Union Terrace, going for an ice cream cone, going to a cheap restaurant to escape dorm food or walking on the Lakeshore Path.

“Take time to be by yourself. With so many people on campus and especially if you have a roommate, I think it’s critical to occasionally just be by yourself and think, meditate and get centered. I would often go walking on campus in the late afternoon or early evening (and during finals, often at very early times of the morning). I discovered wonderful little private gardens by some of the class buildings. Taking that private time in those special places calmed me and helped me get through rough spots.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This was a tough lesson for me to learn. I was in awe of my professors and upperclassmen. When I occasionally had difficulties with classes or personal relationships, it was difficult for me to ask someone for help. How stupid of me. It took me a long while to learn that giving help is just as satisfying as receiving it, and that almost everyone who could help me was eager to do so. UW-Madison has an exceptional safety net of people wanting you to succeed and you should take advantage of them.

“Don’t forget to call/e-mail home. Your family cares about you and wants you to succeed. In some ways, they may be reliving their college days or living vicariously through you. Let them know how they’re doing. They worry about you and want you to do well. Who knows, they may even send you some wonderful care packages. I know my mom did.”

“My mother gave me what I think was some great advice when I started at the UW, and I’d like to share it. It was very simple, “go to class.” I listened to her, for a change, and it seemed to work. I went to my lectures, paid attention, took good notes and then studied the notes for a few hours before the exams. I didn’t spend countless hours reading texts and making notes in the library, and I got a 3.9 that first semester. The professors know what is important, and they hit on these things in the lectures. If students go to class and pay attention, they should do fine academically.

“The other piece of advice I would offer to new students is to encourage them to keep their eye on the ultimate goal of higher education: to become an educated, critically thinking, knowledgeable and contributing citizen. Getting a degree is not only about getting a job — it’s about becoming an educated person, a lifelong learner and an engaged member of society.”

"I graduated from the UW-Madison 52 years ago and have confirmed and reconfirmed one truism many times. And that is that many graduates like me can remember those four special years we spent at the university with more clarity and detail than any other four contiguous years since.

“Let me explain. If you asked me what was going on in my life in 1949, 1950, 1951 or 1952, I can recall specific details and incidents from each season of each of those years. I can recall such things as courses I was taking, events in my social life, faculty who took a special interest in me, sporting events and extra-curricular activities I was involved with and so on.

“But if you were to ask me the same question about any other contiguous four-year period since then, I would have great difficulty doing the same. Pick out a period — 1966 to 1970. I could cite a couple of events, but nothing with the completeness of that ‘49-‘52 quadrant.

“The message, I believe, is obvious: freshmen entering the UW this fall are embarking on the most memorable four-year experience in their whole lives. So, be aware. Work hard. Floss often. Use sunscreen and all other protective devices.”

“My suggestion would be to encourage the new freshmen to productively stretch themselves and do things they haven’t done before or haven’t even thought about doing before. Now is the time to research for their own future at one of the best research institutions in the world.”

“Join! I never would have made it had it not been for my experiences with the men’s basketball program. It was my fraternity or residence hall wing or student organization/chapter. Participate as a student!

“Join! When you become an alumnus at the end of your Wisconsin adventure, share your future with those who will be the next group on campus to mold the future of our country. Participate as an alumnus!”

“Encourage them to celebrate their past, engage interactively in the present and invent the future.”

“Top 10 questions I wish I had answered my freshman year:

Where are all the places I will take a nice walk most days?

What’s at the other end of State Street?

What one extra curricular activity will I be proud of at the end of each year?

Which professors like to teach and are good at it?

Who will know me well enough (and I’ll respect enough) to give me good recommendations for jobs or advanced studies?

Every place I live will affect me for the rest of my life. Have I chosen well?

What have I done lately to get out of my “comfort zone” without jeopardizing my health?

Which museums haven’t I seen yet?

Have I made sure to include travel in my life?

Am I on my way to being the person of my dreams?”

“Keep a journal, even if it’s only a few words a day about what you did that day. I would love to look back on how I spent my time and how I felt about things, but I never thought to keep a journal. You think you’ll never forget certain things, but age has a funny way of clouding the memory. Make sure that you don’t lose any of your UW experience by writing it down.”

“The advanced chemistry I was put into baffled me. Someone wisely said I could get a tutor. That person outlined the course, pointed out what to expect and in two tutorial sessions I was on my way — no more panic or depression.

“The real message is that there is help; seek it.”

“During my freshman year at Madison in 1981, I:

Met friends who I’ve grown closer with over the years. We’ve stood up in each other’s weddings, are godparents to each other’s children and never tire of reminiscing about our years in Madison.

Found out what it felt like to beat Michigan and come within one game of the Rose Bowl.

Discovered the magic of college hockey and the now-extinct Beer Garden.

Found peace of mind on the trails to Picnic Point.

Fell in love with the Badger Band and its enigmatic leader, Mike LeCrone.

Drank too much.

Studied even more.

Hung out in the Rathskeller and on the terrace (weather permitting).

Went on a first date with the woman who I would one day marry.

Began a relationship with a place that to this day remains a fond memory, a destination, a beginning and an inspiration.

“On Wisconsin!”