Home Away From Home for the Holidays
Being away at college can disrupt treasured holiday traditions, especially during this pandemic. My parents and little sister live in Madison, but most of my family resides in New York. My grandfather isn’t comfortable traveling right now, so sharing the holidays with him and my extended family won’t happen this year. Sadly, the same is true for many UW-Madison students whose families aren’t nearby.
The Wisconsin Union provides so much to students. I was recently told the Union is known as the living room of campus, and that’s so true – for me, it’s been my home away from home. It’s where I can eat with friends and study. And when I have free time, it’s where I can take an art class, see a movie or live show, and when the weather cooperates, sit on the Terrace and enjoy the amazing lake view.
You can make a difference in a student’s campus experience with a gift to the Wisconsin Union. On Giving Tuesday, November 30, donations of $60 or more will provide the donor with a special Terrace-themed face mask and a matching mask will be gifted to a student in need.
It’s hard feeling homesick, especially around the holidays when you have those memories from being a kid with your whole family surrounding you. In a big university, it’s incredibly easy to feel homesick, but places like the Wisconsin Union and having a community can help this big place feel smaller. Although it won’t be the same, I’m looking forward to starting a new tradition of sending my grandpa something I created in a Wheelhouse Studios class and having us laugh over dinner on Zoom. Hopefully, soon we’ll be able to be in the same state again.
