I transferred from Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire this past spring, and I was a little apprehensive about moving back. I have lived in Eau Claire most of my life, and from what I could remember, there was nothing to do. Whenever I complained about this, locals would scold me saying, "Eau Claire is a great place. A wonderful place to raise children." And so, I vowed never to have children, so I wouldn't be stuck here. Harsh? Yes, but I just wanted to get out of Eau Claire. So, when I graduated from high school, I went to Bethel University in Minnesota. I know, Minnesota isn't exactly the cultural hearth of the country (What are they known for besides a terrible football team and an airport?), but it was a step away from my hometown without being too far from my family.

However, Minnesota surprised me. At Bethel, I explored downtown St. Paul, saw plays at the Guthrie, even went to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. It was art and culture that I had never experienced before, and it was intoxicating. As a theater person, I geeked out when we went to see The Merchant of Venice at the new Guthrie. The set was gorgeous, the costumes were imported from Europe, and chandeliers flew down from the ceiling in the opening act. It was a theater person's Mecca. I mistakenly tried to take pictures and was tasered by every usher in the theater. But, besides the public humiliation and minor burns, it was the night of my dreams. So naturally, when I had to transfer to UWEC due to some health issues, I was less than enthused.

During my orientation, UWEC tried to convince me otherwise. They spent a lot of time talking about alcohol. Let's be honest; drinking is one of the top leisure activities in Wisconsin. Californians surf, Floridians golf, New Yorkers mug people, and Wisconsinites drink and hunt. However, the university wanted to stress that there is more to do on campus than drink ... like study on a Friday night. Just kidding, campus administration had a whole list of weekend activities that people could do as an alternative to partying: movies, bowling, Ultimate Frisbee, nature walks, worshiping the Packers - the list was huge. Be that as it may, I was not excited about moving back.