My adventure with Iowa State University began long before I ever unpacked a suitcase in Larch Hall. In fact, the very first time I “visited” the campus, I barely visited it at all. It was more of a joyride with two of my brothers— Tom, and Dave — at a time in our lives when a drive across state lines counted as both exploration and entertainment. I was young, edging into adulthood, and they were all a few steps ahead of me, showing me what freedom looked like. Early in my senior year at high school I had narrowed my college choices to the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI, Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and Iowa State in Ames, IA. All great engineering schools. This would be my first college trip.

A primer of the three political parties in the United States

Most people remember their last week of senior year as a blur of finals, yearbook signatures, and the thrill of freedom just beyond the edge of graduation. I always thought mine would be the same. I pictured a week full of celebration, a little bit of mischief, and a slow fade into summer before heading off to college in the fall. But life had something different in mind for me. My final week as a senior at New Lisbon High School was not about parties, pranks, or planning the future. It was about survival, responsibility, fear, hope, and a kind of growing up that most 18-year-olds never have to face.