Bucky Badger

Wednesday, 8/8/2018 was a day everyone slept in a little.  We caught a shuttle from the Double Tree to Union South of our campus tour.  We had an enjoyable 40 minute information session.  Which proves to me that Wisconsin loves acronyms and abbreviations.  Lot of great information about the school.

Ashley and Sophie at the entrance to Camp Randle.  We didn’t want to go in cause every time Minnesota goes in there they seems to get crushed and our day was just starting.

On our campus tour we had a great mix of parents and students.  The single best part was watching this high school senior from Texas trying to hit on our tour guide.   He was clearly digging her.  I thought Ashley and Sophie might giggle themselves out of existence.

Heading from the South end to the lake.

The armory, original home to Badger basketball.

The student chapel on campus

The University Club

By the lake at the Memorial Union.  Goldy Gopher does not have this view

Bascom Hall.  That is a statue of Abe Lincoln in front. You are suppose to rub his toe for good luck.

Looking down Bascom Hill.  They have a snowball fight here after the first big snow fall.  It also has complete WiFi coverage.  Netflix anywhere at anytime.

This is the ice cream you get at U of Wisconsin.  Made on campus from U of Wisconsin cows.  It may be the best ice cream I have every eaten. 

The girls on State street with the state Capitol in the background.  State street is pedestrian only and host a farms market from April till September 

Turn that frown upside down Sophie.  You could be a Badger someday.

Bucky and the girls

Is this the future home of this young scholars?

Let’s take some selfies

You want more for your Snapchat.

Dad stop. Dad stop.  Dad stop, you never stop when I ask you to stop taking selfies

The girls grabbed some Chipoltle and we head for home.  

Guys let’s get a picture in Menomine!!!

We are done. 😔 

Everyone made it back safe and sound.  A pretty crazy 3 days.   We have a lot to think about.  I might start a Go Fund Me or a Kickstarter Page next week.

Sweet Home Chicago

Tuesday, 8/7/2018 started early for me.  While the scholars sleep I got up and ran along the Michigan Lake Shore and around the Navy Pier.  It is always one of my favorite things to do in Chicago when the weather is nice.  Great refreshing morning run in the sun.

Once the girls were up it was a quick breakfast and the off to the University of Loyola Chicago Lake Shore Campus.  We arrived at the Sullivan Center and complete the appropriate paperwork.  We listened to an impressive 40 minutes presentation about Loyola.  The study abroad and the internship possibilities were quite impressive.   Loyola is located up along the Lake Shore by Rogers park and has an L stop right on campus.  

One of the main buildings right on Sheridan Road

The interior of one of the buildings 

The L stop on campus.  All students get an unlimited CTA pass for the school year.  We are head to the rec center.  Shortly after this we ran into Sister Jean.  I couldn’t get a pic of her we were like 2 ships passing in the night.

The cathedral is a mix of classic and neo classic design.  There is mass everyday at noon.  

The quad at Loyola is completely covered with WiFi.  It also looks like a sweet place for a game of ultimate frisbee.

This is the student study area right on Lake Michigan.  It is a beautiful space for students to study.  If you pull an all nighter you are rewarded with a sunrise over Lake Michigan.

Inside the cathedral at Loyola.

We quickly had to leave Loyola go back to the hotel grab our bags and the go get a rental at Enterprise.  Enterprise did not really make any effort to pick us up so we took an Uber to them.  Once we had our car then it was off to the University of Chicago.  I was nervous about finding a parking since every piece of material from U Chicago said is was impossible but I found a free spot on the street right down from campus.  I also dropped some sick parallel parking skills on the young scholars. 

At U Chicago we checked in at Rosenwald Hall.  We had our information lecture in the Breasten Hall.  It was a classic old school lecture hall wooden chair dark wood paneling it was amazing.

From there our tour guide Olivia showed us the campus.  We lost have our party due to the torrential rains so we had a relatively private tour of U Chicago.

Old school U Chicago

Scholars in action.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House.  An incredibly important house in the history of modern architecture.

On the tour.  I love the old school vibe in these buildings and they are beautiful

Amos went here.  Also U Chicago is undefeated when playing Norte Dame in football.  They have diving. 

The girls on the quad at U Chicago.  We did get some use out of our umbrellas ☂ 

This campus is cool and Hyde Parks seems very safe.

No time to mess around it was in the car and off to Wisconsin.  Little did I know it would take 1 hour to get from U Chicago to O Hare and 2 hours to get from O Hare to  Madison.  Thank God for Revisonist History with Malcom Gladwell.

Headed to our top floor rooms at the Double Tree Madison cause that is how we roll.  Tomorrow we will check out the University of Wisconsin Madison

I am not old enough to be doing this

On Sunday, 8/5/2018 I left the safety and comfort of Minneapolis in order for my daughter, Ashley and Sophie Butner to see what life in college might look like.  

We flew to Chicago and eventually made our way to Evanston, IL.  We had planned for a solid nights sleep before exploring Northwestern University on Monday.

Things appeared to be going as planned until Ashley and Sophie opened the door to their room and found water bottles by th door and bags on the bed.  We hustled downstairs to check.  Low and behold there was a drunken Brit who could not get into his room because the code had changed.  He questions us about the state of his water bottles.  He lamented not being able to find anything to eat since lunch.  He was clearly able to find a place to have a beer.  After getting Ashley and Sophie reassigned we all safely went to sleep.  

I guess these two are growing up 

Ashley are you having fun on this trip with your dad?  I know you are having fun with Sophie.

After a good nights sleep, I got up early and explored the campus of Northwestern University.  It was overcast but dry.  Even at 7 AM the campus was coming to life.

The archway entering NW.

The purple rock.  At one time this was a fountain with a giant purple-white quartz rock.  Then one winter someone didn’t turn off the fountain and the pipes burst so Northwestern was just left with a rock.  Student have been painting it from decades with messages both large and small.  You can even watch on YouTube.  It should be under some heading like Northwestern Rock Camera.

The skyline of Chicago to the south.  One of Northwestern University’s beaches is to the right were you can get paddleboard world sailboats.

Alice Millar chapel 

I returned from my walk.  The girls and I ate a nice breakfast and then walked to the Segal Visitor Center in the pouring rain.  After first fighting, then checking in for our tour we travelled to the bookstore for some swag and umbrellas.  After purchasing the umbrellas the rain stopped for the rest of the day.  Money well spent?

The girls drying off and mentally preparing for our information session and tour.

I did see a friendly face at the Segal Visitor Center. 

Derring Library looks very much like Hogwarts.  Classic old school college library.  Our guide, Eli is braking it down for us.

Walking along the performing art center looking back towards Chicago.

Future NW Wildcats? 🤞🏻 

From Northwestern we headed to Chicago to tour the University of Loyola Chicago, Water Town Campus.  The Water Town Campus is basically 6 blocks in downtown Chicago. It is near Ghirardelli Chocolate, Gold Coast Bentley and the Archdiocese of Chicago.  The majority of students at this campus are studying business or communications.  The law school is also in this location.  The facilities are beautiful inside these buildings but the feel is different.  One of the Jesuit priest spend a little time talking with our group and was incredibly reassuring about the experience your child or Ashley would have at Loyola

Atrium in the business school building.  What a great view of downtown.

The student center and dorms.  Apartment style dorms floors 9-20

Stained Glass windows at the library.  A beautiful space to study for students.  A writing center is located in the library.

Is Loyola the answer?

After Loyola we wandered Michigan Avenue.  I was able to keep the shopping to a minimum.  We did destroy a Shake Shack.

On Michigan by the Water Tower.  They are still smiling.

Eventually the Chicago contingent of the family agreed to rescue me and the girls from each other.  Family style appetizers, Caesar salad and pizza at Lou Malnati’s.  Great deep dish pizza and cold beer.  We broke down the Twins and Cubs.  We have also started the slow process of converting Dave into a fan of the MN Vikings.  It will be a long process but I have hope.

The crew. Leah, Jake, Scott, Ashely, Sophie, Dave.  It was a great dinner with plenty of laughs 

After dinner we returned to our hotel room to prepare for another epic day of college tours.

Can’t wait to see how this adventure ends.