“Do you see the lake!” my mother said, trying to capture my attention.

“Ahuh.” I see it. “When are we getting out?”

“Don’t worry, we’re almost to your brother’s dorm.”

Driving along Bradford beach, with my nine-year-old nose pressed up against the glass, my eyes followed the people, places and atmosphere. My level of interest raised and I became aware. Curving up Lincoln Memorial Dr., I saw it. A huge building on the water, which reminded me of Hogwarts. I’ve always loved those books. I couldn’t take my eyes off the building—it attracted itself to me.

“Mom…Dad…What is that?”

My sister stared at me with an odd smirk, as she watched excitement flash in my eyes. I saw this building as a place where imagination, inspiration and incredible things happened.
“I’m not sure, sweetie,” my mom said.

Creeping over the hill, the building disappeared. But it remained in my mind.
We pulled up to my brother’s dorm at UWM. Everything was set for him to start his first year.
Visits were frequent and my mother initiated them. I loved going because I got to see that building. That building which I called my own because no one else had that pull, that draw to it. My parents still found that curious considering to them; it was like any other building. But for the first time, I was drawn to something. And as I aged, not knowing about the building bothered me.

Then one day, around my 16th birthday, my mom asked me about an old building in Milwaukee. I knew she was talking about “my” building.

“I guess it’s the UWM building of freshwater sciences,” she said.

Now I knew my building was special. It was special to me because science has never failed to capture my attention. Every time I learned something new, I felt a sense of accomplishment and gratitude.

Junior year arrived and college was on my mind. UWM was a nice size with the right environment. But none of that mattered. I had a love for science and a place to pursue it, my building

Earlier on I thought deciding where I would go to college would be difficult, but now it all makes sense. It was easy. Milwaukee, UWM.