MODA Fall 2012

MODA

Winter/Spring ‘13

24 Men’s Fashion We take the Madhatters

Photo by Jeff Mason

from the stage to the studio to show men how to dress this season

Photo by Jeff Mason

Sustainable Style 32

A UW alum has uprooted to New York City and has sprouted a new eco-friendly fashion line

Disproving Diets 36

Move over Atkins. The next generation of weird diets is here

Wisconsin Red in a Beer Awards 38 Blue City 47 Put down your Bud Light. We’ve chosen the best Wisconsin brews to fill your fridge

Madison’s bleeding liberal heart may be more red than you think

MODA W/S ‘13 Fashion

Trend Guide 20

Trends are always changing. Here’s your cheat sheet for spring

Winter Beauty 34

Wisconsin winters give your skin and hair a beating. Combat the elements with these essentials

Spring Fashion 26

Get an inside look at creative ensembles for the season COVER CREDITS on George suit and shirt Enzo tie and belt Effetti watch Rolex on Alexandra sequin dress alice + olivia

from shopbop.com photographer JEFF MASON fashion editor DANIEL JAMESON fashion assistants CHLOE KARASKIEWICZ, MARLEE KATZ, PAIGE SCHULTZ beauty director RYANNE GLEASON hair SYDNEY COMPTON makeup ANNA MOEN

on Heather necklace Swarovski Crystallized

Photo by Jeff Mason

Social

24 Hours with Ben Karlin 12 A day in the life of the UW Alum turned Modern Family producer and writer

Hidden Gems 16

The big cities don’t have it all.

We found four Midwestern towns that may just surprise you

Date Night 23

Ensure a second date (or avoid one) with our guide to the first

Lifestyle 14 UW Alum Feature UW Alum and poet Jon

Sands provides a comedic and honest view of life covering everything from the Midwest to the Big Apple in his book, The New Clean

15 DIY How does your garden grow?

Move your planting indoors with the help of our DIY guru

You’re Invited 40

Awards season wouldn’t be complete without a party.

We show you how Photo by Sarah Smiley

18 Madison Man The uninhibited guide to

becoming the dapper guy

LIFESTYLE

Writer Feature:

Jon Sands

UW Alum and poet Jon Sands provides a comedic and honest view of life covering everything from the Midwest to the Big Apple in his book, The New Clean.

There are countless pieces of literature set in New York City, each one coming from a unique standpoint. If you’ve ever wondered what the city that never sleeps looks like from the observant eyes of a poet, start by diving into the poems of Brooklyn-based poet, Jon Sands. Originally from Ohio, Jon Sands moved to New York City in 2006 to pursue his career as a poet and has fallen in love with the city’s mind-boggling complexities ever since. He is well-known for the adrenaline-pumping enthusiasm that he not only brings to the stage in his spoken word performances, but now to the page in his debut book, The New Clean.

Sands says that he knew that from the time he started writing, he knew he wanted to publish a book. “I knew from when I first started writing poems that I wanted that risk of all risks--to be heard,” he says. “To make an attempt at being understood. But, I realized it was possible gradually. It was more like writing a poem I was truly proud of, and then another and so on. A series of small decisions.”

The New Clean is a collection of poems that cover everything from a dialogue on a bus ride in Queens, to a working list of things he’ll never tell his ex, to personifying his knees as New York City itself. They are poems that will take you from laughing hysterically about a memory from your childhood to tearing up at the thought of a lost lover or family member. The complexities of this book are what make it such a worthwhile read. It has content that anyone can relate to, no matter if you’re eighteen and just starting your life or eighty-four and reflecting on it.

Sands says that when it comes to inspiration, anything is fair game. “But my family seems to be a well of discovery that seems inexhaustible,” he quickly adds. “My family and reading books. I am invigorated and intimidated by the fact that I could read every minute for the rest of my life and not even skim the surface of what’s out there to know.” Many of Sands’ poems are about growing up with his family in Cincinnati. In his poem “My Gender Identity Timeline Volume One: The Early Childhood Years,” Sands reflects on growing up and noticing the various differences between him and his brother Ben as they get older.

When Sands isn’t writing or performing, he’s working with 14 | modamadison.com | Winter/Spring 2013

By Barbara Gonzalez

budding writers all around the city. “It’s not always pretty, but I get front row seats to the inception of so many incredible stories and discoveries. People from six to eighty-six. It’s inspiring, and has undoubtedly broadened my horizons to the many communities out there.” He runs writing programs at a syringe exchange, an HIV/AIDS treatment center, as well as youth poetry workshops for aspiring poets all over New York City.

Just this past November, Sands visited our very own UWMadison to facilitate a writing workshop with young poets. “The students in Madison were chomping at the bit!” Jon excitedly recalls. “We had a super personal, wild workshop for no reason! I think it was aided by the fact that four students in the workshop were students of mine when they were in high school in New York City. My heart was singing for days after the stories people told!” During his visit to Madison, Sands also featured at the Office of Multicultural Arts Initiative (OMAI) Passing the Mic Festival. When asked about what it was like performing at the Overture Center, he instantaneously describes how fun it was.

“The First Wave program at UW-Madison is doing so many groundbreaking things in poetry/hip-hop/theater education that I was just excited to be involved,” he says.

When it comes to the question of writing another book, Sands eagerly responds, “Yes, please!” But in the meantime, while you wait for this new collection of colorful poetry or for him to come back to Madison for a performance, I highly suggest that you pick up The New Clean. This book will be an irreplaceable companion for whatever mood you may be in. Whether you’re hyped up and positive or feeling a bit melancholy about life, this book will call you friend like the security blanket you never had.

Want to know more about Sands, his other publications and performances?

Check out his website at www.jonsands.com.

• Potting soil • Seeds – here we used cilantro (herbs are easiest, but more experienced growers could test out other plants as well) • A plastic container with lid – here we used a frosting container with the label peeled off • Scissors or a knife

by Cassy Kruger

The weather may not be exactly frightful anymore, but the warmer temperatures of spring aren’t quite in the forecast yet. Although February may be a bit early to fully anticipate spring, it is the perfect time to think about gardening! Where you live—whether that’s a house, apartment, dorm room, or otherwise—makes no difference as long as you have a window (and you may have bigger problems if you don’t).

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Decorate your container however you’d like.

I found some glitter glue and decided to try that out, but you could also paint it, write with sharpie, use glue to attach things to it, etc.

The possibilities are truly endless.

Fill your container to the top with potting soil.

Push down on the soil to make it more compact and refill to the top.

Plant your seeds. We used 5 cilantro seeds, but you can use more or less depending on the size of the seeds you’re using.

Push the seeds into the soil about ¼ inch deep.

Use your scissors or knife to create a medium-sized hole or several small holes in the bottom of the container. This is an important step to allow for drainage.

Place your container on top of its lid and add enough water to saturate the soil without soaking it.

Set your container near natural lighting. Be sure to keep the soil evenly moist and be careful not to overwater. Seeds should germinate in 7-10 days.

After a few weeks, it’s best to remove the weakest seedlings (usually only 1-2) so that the strongest ones have room to grow.

After about 45 days, you can transplant your plant outdoors if you’d like. In my experience, however, it’s not necessary. You may have to transport it to a larger container, but herbs especially are very easy to grow indoors. Enjoy your first taste of spring!

Winter/Spring 2013 | modamadison.com | 15

LIFESTYLE

DIY

What you need:

Container Gardening

R I A H

Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo With all the hustle and bustle of holidays and finals, sometimes it’s easy to go several days or even a week without washing your hair. Luckily, that’s where Sunday Shampoo comes in. This shampoo is perfect for restoring even the worst of winter damage into a fresh new look.

Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Winter does nothing but make hair brittle and damaged. Keep your locks looking silky smooth by using this inexpensive deep conditioning treatment once a week. This is an indulgence you can’t skip.

sephora.com, $20

walmart.com, $2.50

BEAUTY BUYS Though winter includes the holidays, bright decorations, puffy snow and a general feeling of delight, the season can unfortunately have damaging effects on your hair, lips and skin, requiring special care. With the sheer amount of products available, it’s sometimes hard to weed out the fabulous from those with false hope.

Check out these affordable and spectacular cures to the dastardly effects brought about by cold weather this season.

By Jen Anderson

Blistex Simple and Sensitive It’s truly amazing how such an inexpensive product like Blistex Simple and Sensitive can be so relieving on harsh, weathered lips. With only six ingredients, this lip balm gives a refreshing natural treatment. walgreens.com, $6

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

target.com, $7.50

Finding the perfect lipstick for winter is no easy task. Revlon’s balm stain is the ideal lip color, moisturizes each time it’s applied, and even has a marvelously minty fragrance. Compared to other high-end lip stains, Revlon does not disappoint.

LIPS

S R E Z I R MOISTU Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

CLEANSERS

Philosophy Purity

Philosophy Purity, the well-known facial cleanser and makeup remover, is the all-in-one solution after cold, stressful day.

Just a small amount of this cleanser will leave your face renewed or relax your skin for a good night’s rest.

One of winter’s hardest-hit areas are the hands, with weather drying out skin, nails, and worst yet, cuticles. Burt’s Bees, being the heavenly brand we all love, has one of the best cuticle creams on the market to soften up nails with a pleasant lemon-sage scent. walgreens.com, $2

ulta.com, $20

Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

clinique.com, $24.40

Though it may initially seem expensive, this moisturizer is worth the price, especially since one bottle will last a long time. The lotion is light enough to wear at night after a dry winter day, but also great in the mornings for a quick pick-me-up. target.com, $6.25

Smashbox BB Cream This BB (beauty balm) cream is the ideal makeup solution for covering your face without all the weight of normal foundation. Since BB cream also acts as a moisturizer, it keeps skin nourished all day long. Smashbox’s BB cream lasts longer than most foundations and only takes a small dollop to cover the entire face. smashbox.com, $39

SPECIALTY

It’s not every day that someone suggests lathering up with baby products.

However, during winter your own skin demands delicate and effortless treatment in the shower, just like a baby’s. Aveeno’s cream wash is a great alternative to more expensive options that promise the same results with coarser ingredients.

“Need a Margarita” Refreshing Citrus Body Scrub Everyone deserves an island getaway in the winter. As the weather continues to dry out the top layer of skin, don’t forget to exfoliate away dead cells once and awhile for healthy, glowing skin. Thankfully, this beach vacation comes at only $13.50 and smells delicious.

bathandbodyworks.com, $13.50

Winter/Spring 2013 | modamadison.com | 35

LIFESTYLE

Diets

Debunked

By Caroline Kreul, Jen Anderson, and Paige Schultz

Gluten-Free

The gluten-free diet is the latest trend in Hollywood dieting.

Stars like Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga have attributed the plan to their weight-loss success, but don’t let their endorsements fool you. This is one diet trend that not only won’t help you lose weight, but also may be harmful to your health.

The gluten-free diet is a necessity for those who suffer from celiac disease, a genetic disorder in which gluten consumption damages the gastrointestinal tract and prevents the body from absorbing parts of food that it needs. Those with celiac disease have to stay away from the glutencontaining grains wheat, barley and rye that are normally found in foods like pasta, pretzels and bread. Doctors also recommend the diet to those who are gluten-sensitive, a condition that makes the body prone to gastrointestinal issues, like diarrhea and bloating.

Until about five years ago, the gluten-free diet was a difficult way to live since it eliminated so many processed and fast foods.

There were very few gluten-free substitutes, making it difficult to replace the calories that a normal eater obtains through wheat products. Many of the available gluten-free foods also were not marked as such on their packaging, so people didn’t know exactly what they could eat. This lead to gluten-free eaters dropping weight simply by not taking in as many calories as they once did.

However, according to Dr. Julie Thurlow, registered dietician and professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, that has drastically changed. “Now,” she said, “there are so many gluten-free products and they tend to be quite high in sugar so they’re every bit as high in calories or more-so.” In fact, according to a 2011 report from Packaged 36 | modamadison.com | Winter/Spring 2013

Facts, the gluten-free product market has grown at a rate of 30% each year from 2006 to 2010. As a result, this diet that once limited what its followers could eat now allows them to indulge in foods such as gluten-free waffles, cookies and even some fast foods. And Dr. Thurlow, whose husband is a gluten-free eater, knows all too well the calorie-laden options, revealing, “You know you can order a pizza from Glass Nickel now and ask for gluten-free!”

On top of not being a viable weight-loss strategy, eating gluten-free is also known to have negative health effects. “Wheat in particular has a lot of the B vitamins associated with it,” said Dr. Thurlow. “And whole grains have fiber and all those other kinds of good things.

To eliminate an entire food group for no real reason is never a good idea at all.” This is why gluten-free eaters generally work with a dietician who makes sure that they do not become deficient in vitamins B and D in particular.

Losing weight requires negative caloric intake and the only way to accomplish this is by eating less high-calorie food and exercising more. There are plenty of diets and fitness plans out there that can help you achieve results. Unfortunately, the gluten-free diet is not one of them.

Paleo Eat like a caveman. It seems like a simple enough request, but as many have tried and failed, the Paleolithic diet, or Paleo, is nearly impossible, especially for the average college student.

This task is not only unattainable for any college student (or even worse, a freshman living in the dorms), but would also deplete you of the everyday nutrients your ever changing body would need to properly function in such a stressful stage of your lives.

The outline for a basic Paleo diet would include mostly eating grass-produced meat, eggs, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots and nuts.

Sounds easy, right? The difficult part is no grains, no dairy, no drinks other than water, no legumes, no salt, no sugar and no processed foods. By erasing carbohydrates and dairy from daily intake, the body would not receive necessary nutrition.

Dr. Dale Schoeller of the Nutritional Science department at UW-Madison explains, “[The diet] can be low in vitamin D, can be low in calcium and increases a risk for osteoporosis. Health later in life should be a concern for college students.”

The diet also requires that you cook 100% of your daily food. For the average college student, this responsibility is overwhelming. There is no way that a college student can go through daily Paleolithic life without sacrificing precious time and excessive money on cooking three meals every day using the diet plan listed in The Paleo Diet Cookbook.

Finally, there have been no studies done on the diet’s longterm effects because the diet is too fresh of an idea. In fact, there have been minimal studies conducted on the diet itself.

Therefore, many don’t even know the true success rate, or the safety of going through with the diet. With the lack of support in research, changes must be made to the Paleo diet. In order for this diet to be successful, Schoeller says, “[It] must reduce caloric intake. Any diet when people are getting fat creates metabolic problems.”

With a laugh and a smile, Schoeller adds, “The biggest problem in the diet for college students is that it doesn’t have alcohol.”

Raw Food Detox Cookie dough ice cream, caramel brownies and chocolate fudge cake. What exactly do these oh-so-decadent desserts have in common other than being devilishly delicious? They are three of many different kinds of goodies that the Raw Food Detox won’t be able to seize from your starving hands in the midst of your weeklong cleanse.

That ravenous, guilt-inducing binge described above is a recounted memory from my personal experience with the Raw Food Detox. At first a cleanse seemed to be a simple, quick fix to flushing out weeks’ worth of Topperstix, Jimmy Johns and late night Babcock ice cream runs. However, I was awfully mistaken.

To be blunt, the Raw Food Detox is not for the faint of heart.

Though the cleanse boasts of many benefits including improved immunity, sharper memory, better digestion and a clean dietary slate, it is a rigorous and challenging plan that not only takes extreme determination, but also incredible discipline.

I’m sure you’re wondering exactly what the logic behind this diet is. I know that in the midst of cleansing I wanted to know the same thing. The creators of the raw food movement were taken by the belief that when humans started cooking their foods, they added toxins and lost essential nutrients and enzymes found in organic produce. Then over time, these toxins build up in our systems and deprive our bodies of optimal health. This ideology is similar to that of the Paleolithic diet, but the Raw Food Detox is notably different.

While on the Raw Food Detox, you are limited to consuming fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts for an entire seven days minimum. Though extremely limited, this eating plan is designed to strip your body of all the toxins residing in it and thus giving your body a fresh start. These foods are quick and easy to digest, allowing for more energy to be freed for other bodily functions that are naturally meant to detoxify your system. By flushing out the contaminants being stored in the fat and cells of your body, you are able to start anew feeling healthier and rejuvenated.

But make no mistake, the benefits of the Raw Food Detox diet come at a price. In a nutshell, you are expected to feel quite a bit worse before you experience feeling better. Those who take on the challenge of cleansing their bodies tend to experience a variety of symptoms as they adjust. These include fatigue, headaches, troubled sleeping and cold-like symptoms. Though it has been said that these ill feelings are a result of the toxins being released from your system, skeptics have accredited them to depriving one’s body of essential nutrients and dietary variety.

So although a Raw Food Detox may appear to be a simple, quick fix to kick-starting a healthy new lifestyle, it’s important to realize that speedy solutions are not always best. Think of it this way: it takes a long time for your body to build up toxins in its system, so how can you expect to flush them out entirely over the course of one week? The truth is that you can’t, especially in our modern era and especially as a college student. A detox may seem simple, but there’s nothing simpler than providing your body with a well-balanced diet. It’s what we’ve been taught from the beginning, and in the end it’s the one practice that won’t leave you guiltily ordering that extra slice of mac n’ cheese at Ian’s.

Winter/Spring 2013 | modamadison.com | 37

LIFESTYLE

The Paleolithic diet, like its cousin, the Atkins, fails to provide results for many of its claims. Worst of all, the Paleo diet can’t even own up to its own name: completely altering one’s life to eat like a caveman would be disastrous. Cavemen lived short, nutrient-depleted lives, hunted for their own food and lived in a time where nutrition was unacknowledged. So unless living until you’re around 30 years old sounds like a good idea, the Paleo diet will only bring you malnourishment.

Wisconsin Beer Awards

By Niko Ivanovic

With so many great Midwest brewers surrounding the state, it can be easy to take for granted the incredible local craft beer scene. However, the truth is that Wisconsin is about more than just crafting good beer. It’s about a small grassroots, farm-fresh mentality that few states can still proudly claim to hold.

With reputations that far exceed their distribution capacities, Wisconsin brewers are often the subjects of envy from beer aficionados across the country. In fact, many of these award-winning breweries don’t even distribute outside the state. Instead they tend to focus on quality over quantity, more than happy to rely completely on our business rather than expanding to meet the demand.

And though Wisconsin beer may have been made famous by brands like Miller and Pabst, this list below should helps us to remember that the heart and soul of our brews remain rooted deeply in the brilliant minds of small craft brewers. The following awards highlight the very best beers that they have to offer.

Best New Beer: New Glarus Serendipity

This past summer set record high temperatures across the state, resulting in a severe drought that devastated the Wisconsin cherry harvest. One consequence of this for beer drinkers was that New Glarus was not able to produce as much of its famous Belgian Red cherry ale as normal. Thankfully, to compensate for the limited supply, the brewery decided to release a new fruit ale that supplemented the shortage of cherries by also adding apple and cranberries to the beer. The result: Serendipity, aptly described by New Glarus as a “happy Accident-Fruit Ale.” Though the flavors don’t deviate too much from Belgian Red, the complex, tart and incredibly fruity ale may remind more of a complicated holiday cider than a beer.

Runners Up: New Glarus Saison

Best Lager: Capital Oktoberfest

Lagers tend to get a bad reputation amongst craft beer nerds these days, like an aging remnant of a time when light fizzy corn-water beers dominated the industry. And though I am not going to argue that your standard lager can compete with the biggest and boldest ales out there, there is just something about the smooth, clean, toasty and bready malt backbone of a well crafted lager that sometimes hits the spot. Capital Oktoberfest is one of these beers. It has a great fresh baked biscuit profile, with notes of nutmeg and cinnamon that comfort the taste buds on a cold fall or winter night.

Runners Up: New Glarus Totally Naked, New Glarus Two Woman

38 | modamadison.com | Winter/Spring 2013

Hoplicious is perhaps the best readily accessible beer in Madison, and for that reason it can often be taken for granted. However, when glancing across a row of taps dominated by Miller and Bud Light, spotting this hidden gem can save a beer geek’s night. The Madison-based Ale Asylum brewers are absolute masters of the hop, and Hopalicious showcases just that with a balanced profile of citrus, grapefruit, floral herbs and a perfectly complimenting malt backbone.

Runner Up: New Glarus Moon Man

Best Porter/Stout: Tyranena The Devil Made Me Do It

To be completely honest, Tyranena makes a lot of pretty average beer. However, every single entry to their special limited line up of “Brewers Gone Wild” beers that I have tried has been spectacular. The Devil Made Me Do It is an imperial oatmeal coffee porter, delivering lots of great roasted coffee flavor, grainy and tangy oats and a hint of creamy banana.

Runners Up: Central Waters Peruvian Morning, Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy Imperial Stout

Best IPA: Tyranena Hop Whore

The fastest growing market in craft beer may just be for the India Pale Ale. In this respect the style has become almost the essence of what craft beer is all about to many new beer enthusiasts: lots of flavor, and lots of hops. For those of you not familiar with the style, IPAs tend to be aggressively bitter, often encroaching upon the limit of human taste bud capability. Hop Whore takes a slightly more moderate approach in this respect, as it doesn’t seek to destroy your tongue with hop bombs. Instead, what really makes this beer special is the freshness of flavors. Notes of clean pine, grass, grapefruit and toasty bread dominate.

Best Fruit Beer: New Glarus Belgian Red

New Glarus is maybe the best brewer of fruit ales in the country, and honestly this category is not even a contest. Their ability to absolutely capture every subtly nuance of a particular fruit, like cherry in this case, and transform it into a rich, tart and complicated ale is astounding.

Runners Up: New Glarus Serendipity, New Glarus Raspberry Tart

Runners Up: Ale Asylum Satisfaction Jacksin, New Glarus IIPA

Best Wheat Beer: Furthermore Fatty Boombalatty

One of the lesser known Wisconsin breweries, Furthermore tends to get overlooked, which is a shame considering their unique line up of beers. Fatty Boombalatty is one of the more flavorful wheat beers out there, and to be honest, takes exactly like banana fosters. The creamy flavors just scream banana, ice cream and maybe a bit of a cookie like crumble.

Runners Up: New Glarus Dancing Man Wheat, New Glarus Laughing Fox

Best Belgian Ale: New Glarus Enigma

Enigma is maybe an unconventional choice for best Belgian Ale because it does not match the typical dark fruit, yeast and spices profile that you may be accustomed to from the style. Instead this is a different type of Belgian beer: a sour ale. Expect an extremely tart, borderline salty attack on your taste buds that may be more reminiscent of a complex red wine then a beer.

Runners Up: New Glarus Abt, New Glarus Saison

Winter/Spring 2013 | modamadison.com | 39

LIFESTYLE

Best Pale Ale: Ale Asylum Hopalicious

Elephants in a

BLUE

CITY

by Sam Garigliano

LIFESTYLE

Breaking News: Madison is really, really liberal.

Case in point: 71 percent of Dane county voters chose Barack Obama in the most recent election. A 2005 book named Madison one of the 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places To Live. During a campaign speech, former Wisconsin Gov. Lee S. Dreyfus, a Republican, snidely referred to Madison as “78 square miles surrounded by reality.”

It comes as no surprise that a large part of Madison’s progressive nature stems from its university. Some of the university’s student activism has even garnered national attention, and nearly all of the activity has been decidedly anti-establishment. Famous events like the 1970’s bombing of Sterling Hall’s military research program, or the anti-Vietnam War roots of the Mifflin Street Party, have cemented the sometimes radically progressive image of UW-Madison as a pillar of its history.

So what happens to a UW-Madison student raised in a conservative household, arriving fresh out of the shiny white minivan? Does he succumb to the political pressures of the status quo? Does he go from hanging up posters of Atlas Shrugged in his dorm room to sporting Birkenstocks and dreadlocks under his cap and gown?

Not so, according to Tony Trenzeluk, a UW-Madison junior and executive director of the UW-Madison College Republicans.

“My parents would always say to me,

48 | modamadison.com | Winter/Spring 2013

‘Tony, do you know where you’re going?

Do you know what Madison’s reputation is?’” Trenzeluk says. “They thought I was going to change, become a hippie, all that stuff. Now, as a junior looking back, I’ve become more conservative.”

“They thought I was going to change, become a hippie, all that stuff. Now, as a junior looking back, I’ve become more conservative.”

But not all college Republicans came from conservative households. In fact, some grew up politically neutral. For Ryan Hughes, a UW-Madison junior who works in Gov. Scott Walker’s office, the liberal nature of Madison forced him to question the overwhelming majority and form his

own opinions.

“I wasn’t especially politically one way or the other when I came into school here,” Hughes says, “and I’ve actually become more conservative since I’ve been here. When you’re surrounded by people who are saying things you don’t agree with, you tend become more passionate about those issues to try and bring to light what you think is right.”

For many politically involved Republicans on campus, the road toward solidifying their conservatism hasn’t been a constant internal battle over their political perspective. Instead, the challenge of living as an ideological minority among an outspoken majority has provided them with a learning experience.

College Republican member and freshman at the university, Charlie Hoffmann, said going to UW-Madison has only helped to reinforce his politics.

“You have to know what you’re talking about,” Hoffman says, “especially as a conservative here. You have to know your facts. Because [liberals] will know their facts, and you will have to counter them if you want a civil dialogue.”

If one were to rank ideological outsiders involved in college campus life and the local community, of which might include Republicans at Berkeley during the mid-to-late-1960’s or The Cutters from Breaking Away, UW-Madison conservative

LIFESTYLE

students would be pretty high on the list.

That is especially true now in the wake of the legendarily massive protests against the election and subsequent actions of Gov. Walker. The recent activism has brought the beliefs of UW-Madison Republicans under particularly magnified scrutiny, and publicly representing those beliefs has not always been easy for them.

“During that protest I had bottles and cans thrown at me and people were spitting on my feet and calling me racist,” Trenzeluk recalls. “Things that were like ‘Okay, well I’m showing my political beliefs and that automatically makes me a Nazi or a racist?’ You don’t need to be saying those sorts of things.”

Hughes was working at the Capitol for Gov. Walker’s office during the height of this activity.

“There were confrontations that protesters [who were employed by the state] would have with other state workers like us,” he says. “Just because we believed in a certain thing. It was interesting to see people come up with a video camera in your face trying to catch you doing things.”

Despite occasional abuse and the one-off confrontation, some Madison conservatives have been able to maintain perfectly functional relationships with their political counterparts. This is due in part to the inherent structure of the university, which allows for nearly every imaginable kind of voice to be heard and work together.

John Lambert, College Republicans Second Vice Chair and UW-Madison senior, says that many of the programs and organizations at the university provide outlets for a variety of political views.

“This is Madison; you get a little bit of everything,” Lambert says. “Our student government is a perfect example: you have people who are almost anarchists or Marxists and then you have conservatives.

So we have a broad spectrum here.”

Even outside the academic or professional arena, conservative students manage to keep the company of those with whom they are politically at-odds.

“I think we [conservatives] can all say we have friends that we definitely don’t

“I go to the bar with people who I know have voted Democrat their entire life but I still like them at the end of the day.”

politically agree with,” Lambert says. “But we still hang out with them. I go to the bar with people who I know have voted Democrat their entire life but I still like them at the end of the day. I provide my voice and then they provide their voice, and we go from there.”

Still, one question remains: Why would a staunch conservative come to Madison, knowing full well its reputation as a utopia for the liberally inclined? It might make sense if a GOP devotee came to Madison, keeping their ideas to themselves and those like-minded (which many do). But why be outspoken about it, conscious of the chance that you might be subjecting yourself to confrontation or insult? Why not go to a school where the student body is as overwhelmingly conservative as Madison is liberal? What would happen then?

“I’d be a lazy Republican,” Trenzeluk says. “I’d have nothing to sharpen my beliefs, in terms of understanding why I believe what I do. And not just what Fox News might say, and not just what my dad might say. Being a lazy Republican means when you think everybody else is doing it, you don’t really have to research your facts, you don’t have to go that extra step, you don’t have to make those phone calls because you can just rely on what everyone else is doing. Here [in Madison], you can’t do that. If you’re not doing it, more than likely the guy to your right and the guy to your left isn’t doing it.”

Well, there you go.

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