As I stood for the national anthem, a deafening sound overtook Camp Randall. I looked up to see two jets flying into the distance as the fans around me began cheering like crazy. The flyover was so incredible it had people making noise all the way to kickoff. I had never seen so much red in my life than when I looked into the sea of Badger fans around me.

Fans of all ages showed their Wisconsin pride and made the November game absolutely electric. The brisk cold was barely noticeable as the entire stadium began jumping around after the third quarter. Wisconsin rolled over Iowa easily, with the entire stadium rocking around from start to finish. The fifth quarter gave a finale to the already impressive showing. For the first time in my life, I thought about what Wisconsin meant to me and I realized the amount of pride I had in my state. It was my first Badger game ever and I already wanted to go to another immediately after.

“Where should we eat?” my dad asks.

“Culver’s,” I responded without hesitation. As true Wisconsinites, we did go to Culver’s. Going to Culver’s was a regular occurrence and despite the abundance of options in Madison, it was our number one choice. There is nothing quite like a Culver’s cheeseburger with a side of cheese curds and a concrete mixer to go along with. This restaurant truly is the embodiment of Wisconsin and with one on nearly every corner in Wisconsin, it wasn’t hard to find one.

The atmosphere both inside and outside the stadium gave a whole new meaning to being a Wisconsinite. As we drove around the beautiful state capitol later that evening, I was able to see the great capitol building, Lake Mendota, and the very active State Street. From Ian’s Pizza to Insomnia Cookies, State Street is an ideal destination to eat or just walk around. With no cars on the seven block stretch since the 1970s, it makes exploring Madison an even greater experience. Seeing all of these sites on this chilly Saturday evening in November made me realize I was going to stay in Wisconsin when I was older. A little bit of cold was not going to deter me from staying in America’s Dairyland. 

Returning to Camp Randall every year, I always think back to my first time in Madison and how my perception of the city is only strengthened every time I visit. I’ve always seen Madison as a symbol of the entire state and it’s where I’ve seen the most passion for the great state we live in and for the teams that represent our state. From rural to suburban to urban areas, the people of this state make it what it is and are the reason I am set on staying. The beautiful summers make up for the dreary winters and autumn is one of the best parts of the year. There are so many different things that make Wisconsin what it is and are why I am proud to live here.