The University hosts an annual Dads Weekend where dads come down and attend sporting events, tailgate and even go to the bars with their kids. Did I ever think I would consider taking my dad to a bar? No. Will I take him this Dads Weekend? Yes. (Maybe).

Coming into college, I had no idea how a lot of its social aspects worked. Last Dads Weekend, I was shocked at how many dads I saw at the bars. I took a trip to get food and observed the changed environment, where middle-aged men drunkenly walked around campus.

It did not click until later that these men were probably reliving their college experiences.

My dad is a Marine Corps veteran who was also a young father. He does not share the typical background of my peers’ fathers.

It struck me when my dad told me, “College was just a delay for going into real life.” In a way he’s right, but not necessarily in the way he meant. 

My dad has always had to work hard in his life to provide for himself and for his family. He has made a successful life for himself. With all his hard work, I don’t know if he has had enough time to relax. 

There are times when I’m with him and he acts like a child. I always attribute this to his inner child being healed, since he did not get to experience a stress-free youth.

From what my dad has mentioned to me, he’s had to figure out a lot on his own to be able to establish himself. Did he figure it out? Yes.

All dads work hard, but some of our dads had to build their lives from the ground up with no foundation to start with. 

My father’s success and hard work allowed my siblings and me to pursue our passions and further our education. I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for him. I want to help my dad heal his inner child so that he is able to enjoy this stage of his life to the fullest. After everything he’s done for my siblings and me, he at least deserves that.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Hispanics are overrepresented in industries requiring manual labor: farming, fishing, forestry, building, grounds cleaning, maintenance and construction.  

A study by researchers at the Economic Policy Institute also found that wages for Hispanic men trailed behind comparable white men regardless of degree-holding status. In 2016, the wage gap between Hispanic and white men with degrees was 20.1%. At 14.9%, this gap is even wider than the gap between Hispanic men without college degrees and their white counterparts.

Hispanic men taking on the role of breadwinners for their families is an uphill battle. They work hard to send their children to college so that we can prosper.

The idea of even looking at alcohol in front of my parents is outrageous to me. My purpose in college isn’t to drink or party — I’m here to make a future for myself and for my family.

Truthfully, I was embarrassed to invite my dad to Dads Weekend last year because I did not know how he would react to what was going on socially. However, my mindset has now changed and I want to invite him to experience what that aspect of student life is like at Illinois. 

A lot of people who I have talked to share this sentiment. We do not want our fathers to get a negative idea of university, or just feel like it’ll be awkward to have them down here. We also feel like they might not want to come. Coming down to Champaign is a long trip and can detract from hours at work.

However, an invitation goes a long way. Our dads might be willing to make the trip and they might even miss us a little bit. After all, we don’t live at home anymore and I’m sure they aren’t as sick of us as when we lived there. 

I’m sure we all want to know whether our dads are KAMS or Red Lion guys.

I don’t know how much he will like it, but I at least want him to get a slight idea of what goes on here. He gave me his world and now I will give him pieces of mine. 

Janessa is a sophomore in LAS.

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