Editor’s Desk: Comparing the Great Lakes I’ve Lived Beside

My parents visited Chicago this weekend and, on our drives downtown and walks along the beach, they were struck by how blue Lake Michigan was.

Both my parents and I were born and raised near Cleveland, 20 minutes from the shoreline of the green and murky Lake Erie. 

Lake Erie is the smallest and shallowest of the Great Lakes and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, has “excessive algal growth” that threatens the ecosystem and drinking water safety.

In recent years, Lake Michigan has become increasingly more clear. This is due, in part, to a reduced amount of agricultural and sewage runoff into the lake, according to the Chicago Tribune. But primarily, it has been caused by a community of an invasive mussel species that have “decimated” the lake’s algae.

I’ve written about and researched these mussels for environmental science classes before and won’t try to convince you of the severe risk they play in the Great Lakes. But what’s most interesting to me is how their effect on Lake Michigan is perceived by both visitors and natives to Chicago.

I hadn’t realized how I’d begun to take for granted the beauty alongside Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus until my parents were in the city this weekend.

During their visit, they made time to hang out with some of my friends they had yet to meet. During and after, my dad was reminiscing on his own college experience, and I began to worry that I’ve also been taking for granted my time in college.

The stress of The Phoenix, my classes and impending post-graduation life have been weighing on my mind — which may be evident since my last three Editor’s Desks have been introspective ramblings about time, passion and legacy.

Regardless, my parents’ visit and Lake Michigan have reminded me to take an extra minute to enjoy life — whether it’s clear and invaded or murky and familiar.

The opioid crisis is one of the biggest issues America is facing today. For our last issue of the semester, I wrote about the Wellness Center’s recent Narcan training. 

Some of my closest friends in high school were in the marching band. In opinion, read about The Phoenix’s own band kid. In arts, read some of our staff’s favorite albums, movies and television shows of 2023.

Thank you for reading this year. It means the world.

Featured image courtesy of Dan Hojdar