by Sara Kiesz

There are signs that spring has finally arrived in Wisconsin—longer days, melting snow, that first afternoon where you don’t need to brace yourself against the cold. But for some, nothing marks the season quite like Opening Day with the Brewers. Never having attended in previous years, I often would see the revelry from afar, social media posts and the news.

This year, my day started a little differently.

I had a ticket through a work event, which meant I was arriving solo. No packed cooler, no folding chair, no carefully planned tailgate spread. As I pulled into the parking lot, I knew I was missing out on what so many people consider the heart of Opening Day.