SWEET STORIES. From the V1 team: We can’t wait to see you at the annual UW Meets EC event in downtown Eau Claire! We'll have plenty of magazines to share, plus our yearly Student Guide – a curated collection of local wisdom to help you survive and thrive this school year. So, won't you join us? (Photo via UW-Eau Claire)

There is a distinct energy that envelops this time of year. A crisp breeze fills the morning air, the river flows with a slightly different rhythm. Of course (how could I forget?) students have also arrived at the area universities – some returning to familiar grounds, while others take their very first steps into the place they will soon call home.

Whether you’re in the camp who rejoices at seeing increased foot traffic around local downtown shops, or you are already tired of that very same hustle and bustle – there’s a very real chance you are already feeling its impact.

Alright, allow me to indulge in a little moment of nostalgia. While many of my peers and colleagues grew up right here in the Chippewa Valley, for someone like myself, walking down Barstow Street during the annual UW Meets EC festivities felt like stepping into a world of endless possibilities. 

There, I stopped at what once was the North Barstow location of Good and Sturdy Vintage – one of many spaces which defined my “Eau Claire style” and would eventually frame life in my new community (yes, I still adorn that same green coat every fall season).

Tomorrow marks the return of this event, can you believe it? You’ll find the V1 crew, myself included, out at Haymarket Plaza to share the latest issue alongside our yearly Student Guide – a curated collection of local wisdom to help you survive and thrive this school year.

We can’t wait to see you there, chat about the ins and outs of local living and perhaps share some sweet cotton candy as we flip through the Volume One pages together.

UW Meets EC will be held from 5-8pm on Sept. 4 at Haymarket Plaza (128 Graham Ave., Eau Claire). The event extends beyond the plaza: area businesses offer giveaways and discounts at their brick-and-mortar shops; grab a bite to eat at the final Food Truck Friday in Phoenix Park (330 Riverfront Terrace, Eau Claire).