Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Bartime’s last call

Well, my friends, it is that time. Summer is upon us, and the semester is drawing to a close. Another wave will bid farewell to college and soon say hello to the responsibilities of the real world. It is a predictable cycle that never stops.

Although it feels like the end of the line, there is no reason to be down. Changes like this are all part of life, and hopefully you enjoyed the ride. I know I have!

But rather than pontificate over our departure, I think we owe a certain amount of thanks. So I’d like to honor the city and the university with a letter. Together, they lured us here in the first place, and without them, none of it would have ever happened.

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Dear Madison and the University of Wisconsin,

Forgive the cliché, but thank you for the times of our lives. Some of us are leaving and taking away the lasting impressions of a wonderful journey. Our time in your playground has been great. Growing up isn’t easy. It inevitably hurts, and is even a little sad, but we gotta go.

The city and university offer us nothing but possibility — a fact that amazes me every day. Not just in an educational sense, but with life. You teach us how to work and have balls-to-the-wall fun as well.

There is never a dull moment, and our relationship with you keeps things exciting. Sure, we as students will disagree with you from time to time, but you need us as much as we need you.

Keeping it fresh is what this column is about, and you have helped along the way. Bars are dear to many students’ hearts, especially when you consider that a majority of us had our first bar experiences here — legally or illegally. Beyond the initial introduction, they are a mainstay of the campus social scene.

For the past three years, and more than 70 bars later, I’ve explained what makes bars tick. While they come in all shapes, sizes and styles, bars share a few common characteristics.

Bars are about drinking, but they are also about friendship and camaraderie. That is why people go out, and that is at every bar’s core. I recently heard a toast that seems very fitting at this time of year: “Let us drink to the nights we won’t remember, and to the friends we’ll never forget.”

Bars are social creations. At the same time, we fall into a pattern by only sticking with the familiar. My goal has been to describe bars and let people make judgments for themselves. Exploration of this nature is simply following the “sifting and winnowing” described outside of Bascom Hall.

Bartime is an experiment that left me with many stories, lots of fun, and the occasional headache after some serious nightly research. I’ll miss a lot of great places, but the one spot I’ll miss most perfectly exemplifies the synergy between the city and the school.

The Memorial Union Terrace hardly needs an introduction. Combining Lake Mendota’s natural splendor and the university’s energetic vibrancy, the terrace is nothing short of amazing. True, it isn’t a bar, but what other campus offers a resort-like setting and a beer garden at the same time?

Sitting in one of the brightly colored chairs, sipping on a Rathskeller Ale or a PBR, listening to music, maybe playing a game of cards and watching the world go by — this is what I will miss. More importantly, I’ll miss the people that were there with me, which makes the terrace all the more complete. The names, faces, and great times are etched in my mind forever. These are the moments I hoped would never end.

You created this magical environment, and for that I am forever grateful. Not surprisingly, I am not alone in this sentiment. The feeling hits many and might be why “Varsity” includes the words, “Praise to thee, our Alma Mater, U-rah-rah! Wisconsin!”

Just because we’re down to the last call doesn’t mean we are saying goodbye. We might ultimately be separated by distance, but part of us will always be here, and in that sense there is no leaving.

On Wisconsin!

Stewart Kirkham

P.S. As much as I wouldn’t be able to do this column without the city or the university, I would not have been able to do it without the help of the Badger Herald’s editors, photographers and designers. Also, thank you to the many bartenders who supplied a steady stream of stories and drinks over the years. Thanks go out to the readers who have shared their support. Finally, let us raise a glass and toast our graduating class — I hope to see you at the terrace soon. It has been a great run. Good luck and cheers!

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