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Badgers CHAPTER VII - “FRESH STARTS” TIME: WINTER 2008 SETTING: MANDY, AN ATTRACTIVE ATHLETIC HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL RECRUIT FROM JANESVILLE CRAIG HIGH SCHOOL IN WISCONSIN BEGINS HER SECOND YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. SHE IS COMPETING FOR A STARTING STRIKER POSITION AGAINST A SENIOR. HER MAJOR IS ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND SHE HAS MOVED INTO THE DG ( DELTA GAMMA ) HOUSE ON CAMPUS. MANDY HAS A HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, MAX, WHO ATTENDS RIPON COLLEGE - AN HOUR AWAY. MANDY IS CATHOLIC, THOUGH SHE HAS STOPPED ATTENDING MASS, HAS CLOSE FRIENDS - ALEX - WHO IS A BACKUP QUARTERBACK ON THE UNIVERSITY TEAM AND JAN - HER TALKATIVE AND ATTRACTIVE SORORITY SISTER. FOLLOW ALONG AS THE TURBULENT YEAR OF A SORORITY GAL AND ATHLETE AT THE UW IS EXPOSED. THERE IS RARELY A DULL MOMENT AS ACADEMIC, ATHLETIC, AND GREEK COLLEGE LIFE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN IS OPENLY EXPOSED. ALEX HEY MANDY - WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON THIS SPRING ?

HAVEN’T SEEN YOU AND JAN AROUND MUCH. MANDY OH - REALLY NOTHING - WE’VE GOT FINALS IN THREE WEEKS - WHAT CAN I SAY - IT’S A BUMMER - ESPECIALLY MY HONORS PSYCHOLOGY CLASS. ALEX I THOUGHT YOU REALLY LIKE THAT STUFF - I MEAN IT IS REALLY A GOOD CHALLENGE FOR YOU. MANDY WELL VOLLEYBALL AT THE UW IS ALL YEAR ROUND. I MEAN WE’VE BEEN RUNNING AND RUNNING AND RUNNING - AND THEN WHEN WE’RE DONE IT IS DRILLS AND WEIGHTS. ALEX I KNOW - SPRING FOOTBALL KILLED ALL OF US - YOU KNOW THE COACHING THREATS OF INCOMING FRESHMAN TAKING OVER OUR POSITION. MANDY IS IT REALLY TRUE THAT WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN OHIO STATE IN THAT INCOMING FROSH WHO HAVE GRADUATED ARE NOW ENROLLED SPRING SEMESTER AND PLAYING SPRING BALL ?

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ALEX ABSOLUTELY ! IT IS RIDICULOUS !

MANDy AREN’T THESE EARLY FROSH GUYS JUST PUPPIES ?

ALEX YES - ABSOLUTELY - THEY ALL HAVE ONGOING HOME GIRLFRIENDS AND SOME HAVE CONFIRMATION GOING ON - I THINK IT IS DISRUPTIVE - BUT I GUESS THEY KNOW THE PLAY BOOK WHEN FALL BALL HITS. MANDY THEY HAVE TO DO 12 CREDITS - WOW !

ALEX ANYWAY IT IS JUST THE COMPETITIVE TIMES - SO MUCH PRESSURE ON VARSITY....

MANDY AND EVEN COLLEGE CLUB SPORTS TO WIN - RIDICULOUS !

ALEX IN A WAY I CAN’T WAIT TO GRADUATE - I MEAN HOPEFULLY GOING TO DENT SCHOOL WILL PROBABLY BE MUCH LESS PRESSURE THAN PLAYING BIG TIME FOOTBALL - ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN FUN - BUT THE PRESSURE OF IT IS AT TIMES WITH RABID FANS IS EXTREMELY RIDICULOUS. MANDY IT IS THE SAME WAY IN VOLLEYBALL - OUR COACHES UNBELIEVABLY STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDAMENTALS, COMMUNICATION, AND THE DRILLS OF ROTATION, HITTING, BLOCKING, PROPER PASSING, AND OF COURSE THE ENDLESS SERVING DRILLS. ALEX I KNOW IT ALMOST GETS TO THE POINT OF THIS IS MY JOB AS AN ATHLETE - AND I DIDN’T COME TO SCHOOL FOR AN EDUCATION - BUT TO PLAY SPORTS. MANDY AS IF NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. BE THE BIG TIME STRIKER, NO BAD SERVES, AND SET THE SUPER STAR EVERY TIME. IT IS IN OUR BLOOD. ALEX AND THE GAMES ARE OH SO VERY CLOSE. WE COULD WIN OR LOSE ON A CLOSE MISTAKE - AND THE PLAYER IS POUNDED FOR THAT BY THE COACHES, MEDIA, AND SOME PLAYERS.

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MANDY WELL ALL ANYONE TALKS ABOUT ANYMORE IT SEEMS IS BRET FAVRE. ALEX OH YOU MEAN BENEDICT ARNOLD - OR THAT IS WHAT ALL THE FRAT GUYS CALL HIM. COMING BACK TO STICK IT TO THE PACKERS - WHETHER IT IS THE VIKINGS OR SOME OTHER TEAM. MANDY BRET IS PRETTY BEAT UP - HE HAS A SORE SHOULDER NEEDING ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY - TORN BICEPS. ALEX WELL THAT HAS DONE IN QUITE A FEW UW QUARTERBACKS - THESE SHOULDER INJURED COLLEGE QUARTERBACKS TURN INTO HIGH SCHOOL COACHES - NOT MUCH MORE. MANDY IS THAT WHERE YOU ARE GOING ALEX ?

JAN NO WAY - I HEARD THAT - ALEX IS GOING TO DENT SCHOOL IF THE NFL IS NOT IN HIS FUTURE. ALEX WHERE DID YOU COME FROM ?

JAN OH - THEY HAD A REUNION PLANNING DOWN AT ELIZABETH WATERS - PRACTICALLY THE ONLY PLACE A GIRL CAN STILL BE A GIRL ON THIS CAMPUS - EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOW BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. MANDY REUNIONS ALREADY ?

JAN YOU BET - STAYING AT ELIZABETH WATERS IS REALLY SPECIAL - MANY PROMINENT UW COEDS HAVE LIVED THERE OVER THE YEARS AND WE’RE INVITING THEM ALL BACK - NO SET YEAR - JUST ALL AT ONCE. ALEX WELL THAT’S COOL - GUYS WOULD NEVER THINK OF THAT. JAN YES - IT WILL BE AN ALL OUT WEEKEND ON CAMPUS NEXT YEAR - PROBABLY A FOOTBALL GAME WEEKEND - STARTING OUT AT THE UNION, THEN TO THE KK, THEN TO THE GAME,

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AND THEN BACK FOR AN EVENING SHIN DIG AT ELIZABETH WATERS DORM. MANDY WHAT ABOUT THE NO BOOZE STATE LAW IN UW DORMS ?

JAN WELL THE UW CAN HAVE A CHANCELLOR’S ORDER ALLOWING ADULTS POST 21 TO HAVE SOME BEER ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS - NO BIGGIE. MANDY I GUESS COLE IS THE ONLY WOMEN’S ONLY HALL LEFT AT THE UW - TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT WATERS BEING A VIRGIN’S VAULT OR OTHER SUCH NONSENSE. JAN OH I GUESS THE HOURS OF NO GUYS FROM 1 AM TO 0900 ABSOLUTELY KILLED SOME GUYS WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH WATER’S COEDS. MANDY I WISH WE HAD THAT PROBLEM. JAN WELL THE REST OF THE UW THINKS WE’RE OFF LIMITS EXCEPTING FRAT GUYS LIKE PHI PSIS, DELTA CHIS, AND SEAS. HOW FAR OFF IS THAT ?

MANDY WELL A BUNCH OF THESE GUYS THINK THEY CAN MAKE A LAST MINUTE PHONE CALL FOR A DATE AND GET IT IN A WINK BECAUSE THEY BELONG TO A FRAT AND ARE ON THE INTER FRATERNITY COUNCIL - HOW BAD IS THAT ?

ALEX THAT IS WHY I NEVER JOINED - I STILL LIKE LIVING DOWN AT THE LAKE SHORE DORMS - IT IS A COOL PLACE - EVERYONE IS LAYED BACK - NOT WORRYING HOW ANOTHER LOOKS OR FEELS - AND THAT IT IS OK TO MISS A SOCIAL EVENT. JAN WELL I PERSONALLY LIKE DOING STUFF - AND I’M NOT GOING TO SIT IN A DORM ROOM ON WEEKENDS WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN - I DON’T CARE IF MY FRIENDS ARE MANUFACTURED - I WANT TO ENJOY COLLEGE AND THE PARTIES FROM THE UNION TO JOHNSON STREET. MANDY I AGREE - I’M NOT A REVOLUTIONARY - I STILL LIKE CONVENTIONAL THINGS - LIKE BEER, GUYS, PARTIES, SOCIAL CUSTOMS, AND THE WHOLE FEEL OF THE UW INCLUDING 5

THE GREEK AND ATHLETIC LIFE. THERE IS NO COMPARABLE PLACE ON EARTH. ALEX WELL THE UW HAS BEEN RATED BECAUSE OF THE LAKE - THE ABSOLUTE COLDEST CAMPUS IN THE COUNTRY – COLDER THAN MINNESOTA. HECK THOSE GALS AT WATERS HAVE ALWAYS SAID IT IS GREAT THERE BUT UP ON THAT HILL WHEN THE WIND IS BLOWING OFF THE LAKE - NO PLACE COLDER. JAN SO ALEX - WE HAVE SPRING FORMAL COMING UP THIS WEEKEND - AND YOU ARE STILL I PRESUME LOOKING FOR A.........

ALEX NO JAN - I’M OK - WE’RE STILL FRIENDS - I’VE JUST FINISHED SPRING FOOTBALL, AND THE FINALS IN A COUPLE WEEKS WILL MAKE OR BREAK ME - I’M STUDYING SATURDAY NIGHT ESPECIALLY ORGANIC - IT IS AWFUL AND THE FINAL IS OVER EVERYTHING SINCE KINDERGARTEN. MANDY ALEX - YOU MUST CHILL OUT, ENJOY COLLEGE - ONE NIGHT WILL NOT KILL YOU - I KNOW THAT. JAN WELL I GUESS I’LL JUST PUT MY NAME ON THE WANT A DATE BUT STILL WAITING LIST AT THE INTER FRATERNITY EMAILER. MANDY YES - THAT IS WHAT I’M DOING - CAROLYN IS GOING WITH RICH WELLMAN - HE CAN HAVE HER FOR ALL I CARE - EVEN THOUGH HE IS CUTE AND FINISHED SECOND IN THE BIG IN THE TENNIS FINALS. IN FACT THEY CAN HAVE EACH OTHER. ALEX SO MANDY - IS IT TRUE THAT MAX HAD A GIRLFRIEND AT RIPON AND SHE IS NOW PREGNANT - I’M NOT UP ON THIS STUFF. MANDY YES BUT I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT - MY WHOLE FAMILY IN JANESVILLE IS TOTALLY EMBARRASSED - IN FACT SO IS MAX’S - BUT THAT PART OF MY LIFE IS OVER. JAN I AGREE - DON’T BRING THAT STUFF UP ALEX - THAT IS REALLY GRINDING IT IN BIG TIME.

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MANDY IT’S OK JAN - NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT - I THINK I’M OFF TO THE KK FOR A BEER. YOU TWO CAN TALK ABOUT THE SPRING BALL. ALEX WOW - THAT FIRE AT THE SIG EP HOUSE WAS REALLY SOMETHING - A BUNCH OF GUYS BARELY GOT OUT. JAN I KNEW A COUPLE OF THEM - THEY ARE RELIEVED THERE WAS NO INJURY - BUT SOME LOST A TON OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS. ALEX YES I HEARD THAT ONE OF THEM WAS A BIG SHOT ON THE PANHELLENIC COUNCIL. JAN THE MAIN THING IS THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED. MY MOM CALLED AND WANTED TO KNOW IF I WAS OK - IT WAS NATIONAL NEWS. ALEX I GUESS YOU WOULD WONDER IF IT WAS ARSON - SO MANY OF THESE OLD FRAT HOUSES ARE JUST FALLING APART AND NEED UPKEEP......

JAN OR REALLY NEED NEW HOUSES - WHICH COSTS A TON THESE DAYS. NO COLLEGE KID IS ABOUT TO TAKE OUT A LOAN FOR A HOUSE THEY WILL NEVER USE EXCEPTING ALUMNI MEETINGS. ALEX WELL I FEEL ALL THESE HOUSES ARE VULNERABLE - THEY ALL MAY GO UP IN SMOKE. LANGDON STREET ALL THE WAY UP TO THE EDGEWATER MAY GO. JAN YES - I’M CERTAIN ALL THE FIRE CODES AND SAFETY ISSUES WITH WIRING AND SPRINKLERS WILL BE ADDRESSED BY THE CHANCELLOR. ALEX THIS WOULD BE YOUR CHANCE TO MOVE BACK TO ELIZABETH WATERS. JAN YES - THE VERY BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE - NOTHING BUT HARD WORK AND FUN. I NEVER KNEW SO MANY FUN PEOPLE COULD BE ALL TRAPPED IN THIS HISTORIC BUILDING - EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOW COED - WELL IT STILL REALLY BUILDS ON THE 7

TRADITION. REMEMBER WE HAVE THAT WATERS REUNION COMING UP NEXT YEAR. I CANNOT WAIT !

ALEX YES - I CAN ALMOST HEAR THE EXCITEMENT - SINCE MANY OF THE DGS MET AT WATERS. JAN YES I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE SO LONELY, ROOKIE LOOKING, AND CUTE WHEN YOU CAME TO THAT MIXER WITH A WINE FLASK - THINKING YOU WOULDN’T GET CAUGHT. ALEX HEY - I JUST DIDN’T KNOW - IT WORKED FOR MANY OF THE GUYS - THEY GOT TO MEET SOME GALS AND HAD A GREAT YEAR. JAN WELL WHAT ABOUT US ALEX - I MEAN WHERE ARE WE GOING ?

ALEX GEE JAN - I REALLY DON’T KNOW - I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WITH FOOTBALL AND PRE-DENTAL PROGRAM - WELL I CANNOT HANDLE ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING A FULL TIME BEAU. JAN WELL I MAY BE MOVING ON THEN ALEX - I KNOW WE ARE TRULY THE VERY BEST FRIENDS - BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING MORE - BUT OH WELL I’LL JUST REMINISCE OVER THE TIMES WE HAD AT WATERS AND MOVE ON. ALEX SO WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING AFTER GRADUATION FROM UW NURSING SCHOOL ?

JAN WELL I RECEIVED A NICE JOB OPPORTUNITY FROM MONROE, WISCONSIN WHERE I GREW UP. IT’S NOT THE HIGHEST OFFER - BUT IT HAS GREAT HOURS AND BENEFITS. ALEX SO WHAT WOULD A LIVELY GAL LIKE YOU DO IN MONROE AFTER GRADUATION ? ISN’T IT ONLY ABOUT 9,000 PEOPLE ?

JAN WELL I’D DO WHAT EVERYONE DOES THERE - GO TO BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, AND BASEBALL GAMES, BOWL AT THIS PLACE CALLED TURNER HALL, AND DRINK LOTS OF HUBER BEER.

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ALEX THAT SOUNDS OK - SIMILAR TO PLATTEVILLE - I KNOW I COULD BE A HIGH SCHOOL COACH BACK THERE IF I WANTED - AND MAY DO IT IF DENTAL SCHOOL DOESN’T COME TO PASS. JAN WELL WE COULD MEET ON HIGHWAY 11 HALFWAY I GUESS. ALEX I HEAR THE SPORTS TEAMS IN MONROE ARE PRETTY GOOD AND THE SWISS FOOD IS GREAT. JAN YES - MANDY AND I WENT THERE FOR A WEEKEND AND SHE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE SWISS STUFF - A PLACE CALLED BAUMGARTNERS. ALEX SOUNDS PRETTY COOL - AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY TAKE THE NURSING JOB RIGHT THERE IN MONROE. JAN WELL FIRST I MUST GRADUATE - THEN I GUESS I’LL HAVE TIME FOR A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP - HOW ABOUT WE MEET UP WITH MANDY AT THE KK. ALEX SOUNDS GOOD. MANDY HEY GUYS - I GUESS THIS FIRE AT THE SIG EP HOUSE WAS REALLY SOMETHING. FIRE PICTURES ON GRETA’S BLOG ALREADY. ALEX THAT IS PRETTY COOL - I MEAN THAT IT GOT NATIONAL ATTENTION - NOT THAT A FIRE ERUPTED. JAN WELL IT SOUNDS LIKE ALL THE FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES ARE TAKING THESE SIG EPS IN FOR THE REST OF THE SEMESTER. I DO KNOW ONE THAT IS REALLY A HUNK. ALEX THERE IS YOUR MONROE HUSBAND JAN. MANDY MY GOD I LEAVE YOU TWO ALONE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND YOU ACT LIKE FOLKS ON FRIENDS. SICK. ARE YOU MOVING BACK TO MONROE JAN ?

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JAN I JUST HAD A JOB OFFER FROM THE MONROE CLINIC THAT WAS FAIRLY NICE. MANDY WELL MONROE BEATS JANESVILLE - IT HAS A TON MORE TO OFFER AS FAR AS BEING QUAINT, THINGS TO DO, SPORTS, AND PROBABLY MEN ALSO. ALEX SO YOU WON’T GO BACK TO JANESVILLE MANDY. MANDY WELL AFTER THIS MAX THING GETS OVER WITH - AND I GUESS IT NEVER WILL NOW THAT HIS RIPON GIRLFRIEND IS HAVING HIS BABY - WELL I COULD NEVER GO BACK TO JANESVILLE - SHEER EMBARRASSMENT. AND I HEAR THE MAX GIRLFRIEND WITH THE BABY IS MOVING IN WITH MAX’S PARENTS. JAN I BET YOUR MOM I DIGGING A DEEP HOLE. MANDY OH SHE IS ABSOLUTELY BESIDE HERSELF. ALEX SHE’LL GET THROUGH THIS. MANDY NO ALEX - YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND - THERE WILL BE A LITTLE MAX RUNNING AROUND OUR HOUSE - NOT FROM ME - MAX WON’T BE THERE - HE IS IN HEAVEN. AND JANESVILLE IS SO SMALL LIVING THERE WOULD REMIND ME OF HIM DAILY SINCE OUR FAMILIES LIVED SO CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER – AND A LITTLE MAX WILL BE RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALKS IN A COUPLE YEARS. ALEX WOW - NOTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENS IN PLATTEVILLE. WEREN’T YOU AND MAX THE HIGH SCHOOL PROM KING AND QUEEN ?

MANDY YOU BET - JANESVILLE CRAIG HIGH SCHOOL. JAN HERE COMES SOME OF THE SIG EPS !

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MANDY AND THERE IS THE MOST ABSOLUTE HUNK FROM THAT HOUSE ALIVE. ALEX YOU BETTER NOT SIT STILL FOR LONG. TIME IS WORKING AGAINST YOU AS JAN IS THE QUEEN OF THE SPRING BALL AND NEEDS A KING. JAN HELLO GREG. KIND OF CHARRED UP LANGDON LATELY. ALEX THAT IS NOT FUNNY JAN. GREG WELL I GUESS IN ALL OF THIS I LOST MY DATE FOR THE SPRING PANHELLENIC BALL - HMMMM.... AND I HEARD YOU ARE QUEEN JAN - WITHOUT A KING. WELL I’M AVAILABLE IF YOU’LL HAVE A CHARRED FRATERNITY WARRIOR. I GUESS I’M NOT A FOOTBALL PLAYER - ONLY A ROWER. MANDY BUT CREW GUYS GO FARTHER IN LIFE - AT LEAST THAT’S THE EMAIL FLYERS WE SEE. JAN AND SO DO FRAT GUYS - HIGHER GPAS, BETTER JOBS, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, TEAM PLAYERS, AND........

ALEX LOVERS. - I GUESS I’LL MOVE ON - SEE YOU ALL LATER THIS WEEK.

END OF BADGERS vii

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