Coming from Badger families, we think we might be lucky compared to other incoming students that haven’t had siblings attend the University of Wisconsin before, if for no other reason than because we have heard what to expect as we dive in next fall. We each have two older brothers who have attended or are currently attending the UW, and because of that, we think we pay a little bit more attention about what is happening on campus than the average incoming freshman.

One thing that each of our families talked about over winter break (besides Badger basketball and how we hope Melvin Gordon stays for all four years) was the upcoming vote on the recreational facilities at UW. Our brothers were and are very active students, and these kinds of campus debates have a history of finding their way to our dinner tables.

As athletes in high school, recreational sports seem like they could be helpful in the transition from high school to college. We hope to keep participating in the activities we enjoyed and stay healthy as we enter a new and more challenging environment. The news of these potential facility upgrades had us almost as excited as the day we got our letters, because we have been to the Natatorium and Southeast Recreational Facility for volleyball camps … and honestly, our high school gym is more impressive.

We understand that these upgrades come at a cost, but the bad facilities our brothers use are not getting any better, and they cost money to keep up, too. It’s been frustrating for us to watch debates about what should happen in the future unfold, whether in tweets, Facebook posts or newspaper articles, while future Badgers like us have essentially had no say in the matter.

As future Badgers, we cannot cast a vote. So, this is our request, from two girls in the class of 2018 … Yes, 2018! Don’t let high school students come visit UW and see facilities that are worse than the ones they have back home, don’t leave dingy old facilities for us to pay to have maintained and don’t sit idly by while you could contribute to something great.

Please vote yes, UW.

Emily Ott & Sevi Strand are seniors at De Pere High School in De Pere, Wis. and will begin at UW in Fall 2014.