This is Where I Was Meant to be

As a kid who grew up in Northern Nevada, far from and drastically different from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, my family often traveled to Marquette to visit my dad’s hometown and my grandparents, who still lived locally. We’d spend time at Clark Lambros and McCarty’s Cove beaches, where I enjoyed searching for rocks; at my grandparents’ house; or at Tourist Park, where we’d park our fifth-wheel trailer, ironically branded “Wildcat.” Each location was special to me, the lake always amazed me, and my heart yearned to spend my future years here. 

If you can believe it, my least favorite activity as a child was hiking, so I did not particularly enjoy enduring Sugarloaf Mountain with my family. To my surprise, this has changed over the years, and Sugarloaf is one of my favorite spots in Marquette. I never imagined I’d enjoy hiking as much as I do, and my younger self would never understand why. My favorite hiking spots in Marquette include Sugarloaf and Hogback Mountains and the North Country Trail between Wetmore Landing and Little Presque Isle.

Some of my best childhood memories in Marquette include visiting the NMU Bookstore in the old Northern Center, where I loved to look at the clothes and especially liked getting charms for my Italian charm bracelet. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum and playing at Lower Harbor park with the children of my dad’s high school friends. Jilbert’s Dairy and Frosty Treats were each a tasty experience, as they are today. 

As for the University, I am a legacy student with strong ties. My grandfather was a professor of Geology for many years, retiring in 1991… No wonder I like picking up rocks on the beach so much! 

My dad, who graduated in 1986, and his three siblings attended Northern Michigan University, and my mom later took summer classes at NMU. I’ve heard stories about the bowling alley in the old Northern Center, sledding on Whitman Hill, and the swimming pool in the Hedgecock Building, and been walked through explanations of what campus used to look like. The history of campus has become incredibly special to me through trips back in time on Google Earth with my dad.

As far as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a Wildcat and attend Northern Michigan University, and Northern has been a big part of my life and dreams. I never applied to another college and never even took a campus tour of a college, not even Northern! Northern is where I was meant to be; I’ve made my 5-year-old self very proud.