Before I came to Lawrence, I did not know how to pronounce the word Björklunden. But hey, it worked out perfectly fine. Let me tell you- this place is an absolute beauty! Just being by Lake Michigan up in Door Country has probably been the best retreat of my life.
When you are at Lawrence, you’ll have plenty of chances to go to Björklunden for the weekend. Different clubs, organizations and classes like to go there for different bonding activities and meetings. I have been to Björklunden four times now. I am just starting my sophomore year, so the goal is to go Björk at least three times a year. Very ambitious – but I’ll try to make it happen.
One of the reasons I like going there is the setting. Sometimes, you just need to get away from the city. Everybody is a big fan of the Björklunden food: fresh fruits and special Door County ice cream. Going there with friends, walking by the beach, having a bonfire and just relaxing or doing homework – Björklunden is just perfect!
There is always something to do in the lodge: every group gets a meeting place for their activities, there are board games and lounges, computer lab and unlimited coffee (because that’s what we need!). There will always be someone reading or playing the piano in the Great Room. People sit around, chat, watch movies and just enjoy being there.
Right by the lodge is a small chapel. You should go on the chapel tour at least once. It is very small but has a lot of history and beauty to it.
If you are a big fan of hiking or just exploring, there are two trails around the lodge. One of them leads to a windmill- the area around it is a perfect place to go star gazing.
Even though the cell phone reception and internet can be a problem at times, everything else in the lodge makes up for it. I don’t want to ruin the fun by talking about “opportunities” here, so look forward to going to Björk to know more about it!
Whenever I am in Björk, I always find myself spending a lot of time sitting outside and looking at the lake, hearing the sound of the water and the wind and thinking of how beautiful the surrounding is (provided the weather is great). I have not been there when it is covered in snow, but I have seen pictures that makes the place look like a kingdom of snow, and it is just gorgeous! So, get excited … you don’t want to miss the opportunity to get on the bus and enjoy your weekend at Björklunden!
Here is my favorite picture of Björklunden with a quote from my favorite book…
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby