I am not writing this to receive your sympathy for having a very unfortunate dietary disorder, but more so, I am trying to make you appreciate the gift that you have. In this case, the gift would be the ability to consume dairy with no consequences. To all those that are indeed lactose intolerant, just know that we are all in this together.

Wow, I just made this sound way more serious than it actually is. But let's continue on.

Three years ago I moved to Wisconsin. I knew nothing about the state that was so far away from my home. I just knew that I would be spending four years here to receive a college degree. Little did I know that I would fall in love with the state that is known for their dairy products. Let's be real, Wisconsin's state animal should be the dairy cow, that's how serious they are about their dairy.

When I say dairy products, I don't just mean milk or cheese. I mean ice cream, custard, cheese curds, and so many deep fried dairy products that you probably wouldn't know what to do. The Wisconsin State Fair has fried butter on a stick. Did you know that was a thing? Yeah, neither did I. Want to know the worst part though? The fact that people actually consume fried butter on a stick. Thank goodness I have a "get out of jail free card" for that one.

When I left for college, my mom's parting words were "don't tell anyone you can't eat dairy." She was convinced that my lack of ability to eat dairy would deter me from ever making friends.

Hey Mom, guess what? I have friends! At least I think I do.

When I finally told people I couldn't eat dairy, they gave me this look. The kind of look someone gives you when they find out something really sad, in fact, some people looked like they were holding back tears. They then proceeded to give me a hug, or a pet on the shoulder. Then said, "Wow, that must be so hard." Got to love those friendly midwest people, right? You see, when I tell someone in California, they give a smirk and say, "Well, at least you don't have to consume all of those calories." Yup, completely different reactions, and quite frankly, I like reaction number one.

I can't tell you how many late night fried cheese curds, spur of the moment custard runs, and how many milkshakes I have missed out on. It's really hard watching those around you indulge in such tasty treats.

You know what they say? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. So that's what I do. I indulge in those late night cheese curds, and those spur of the moment custard runs. Bet you didn't see that one coming right? Yup, sometimes I just can't not eat what they eat. Life's too short to let something as silly as lactose intolerance hold you back from enjoying the little things.

I'm a Wisconsinite, I'm lactose intolerant, and I'm proud. I might miss out for the majority of the time, but sometimes you can't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. So if you're lactose intolerant, and find yourself missing out on all of the great things our state has to offer, remember me, and know that every once in a while it's okay to slip up and pay the consequences later.