Enjoy the Lake. No seriously, Do It.

Enjoy the Lake. No seriously, Do It.

As per my last post, let me tell you a bit more about the awesomeness of Lake Michigan.

I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the months of warmer weather and go out and enjoy Lake Michigan as much as you can. With the semester almost halfway over, most Loyola students likely have avoided going anywhere near the lakefront during the past few winter months. This is understandable, because let’s be honest: the harsh winds and freezing temperatures can make the lake the last place in the world you want to be.

But nevertheless, Lake Michigan is a defining feature of Chicago. Not only does it give us all drinking and running water, but it gives us some of the most breathtaking and unparalleled views you could imagine in a city like this.

What’s cool is that Loyola is the only university in the city located directly along the lakefront. In fact, Loyola’s campus is one of the few properties located on the lakefront at all! This is because there has been a longstanding planned layout of Chicago that preserves a majority of the lakefront space as public beaches and parks. Loyola is one of the few holdouts left. So, this means time spent at Loyola will likely be the only time in your life you get to live so close to lake and experience its advantages.

Although it still isn’t beach weather yet, it was still great to walk along the lakefront with my mom today. For best results I’d make sure you put on a warm coat and bring a hot cup of coffee and walk along the beach while taking in the sights and sounds. I’ve seen a lot of people run along the lake here, so it must be a good spot for running or jogging if you are more of the athletic type. I’ve done it myself a few times, and running along the lake gives the perfect backdrop to make you feel like you are in a scene from a Rocky movie or some other epic running montage.

Note: I would not suggest actually going into the lake: it’s freezing most of the year. But there are some nice periods in the dog days of summer where the cool water is quite refreshing.

On hot days you can take your friends out to the beach and play some ultimate Frisbee or volleyball, bring some food and lemonade too. On clear days you can walk along the lakefront and enjoy the breeze and the view, and on cold windy days you can sit in the comfy chairs on the IC and watch the waves crash onto the rocks. And, if you are lucky enough to live in a dorm like Santa Clara or Mertz, or apartment with a view of the lake, or if you spent an all nighter at the IC, you can wake up early enough to see the sun rise over the lake. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

The only thing you may regret is leaving Loyola without taking in all it had to offer. Especially the lake.

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