The University of Memphis

When we arrived in Memphis, the study abroad office organized an orientation day for all the international exchange students that included a guided tour through the U of M. When I first saw the University I was totally impressed by its beautiful campus. I had the impression of walking through a park with a lot of green spaces, tree-lined wide walkways, and a fountain with benches to relax for a while.

The University is approximately 4 miles (6 kilometers) east of downtown and includes an area of 1 1600 acres, which is 4,7 km2.

The houses are built in red bricks and the ones I study in are very modern and provide the latest technical equipments. You can tell that the school’s first buildings were erected in the early 1900 so that the campus did not develop historically as much as the Mainz campus did. Therefore, you get a very consistent style of the buildings, everything fits together and it harmonizes well.

It is easy to tell, that the Memphis students are very proud of their University. The tiger bookstore not only provides a Starbucks cafeteria but also a section where you can buy University- Fan- articles: T-shirts, shorts, sweaters, pens, stickers, and many more.

The “Tiger Den” is comparable to the “Mensa” in Mainz. You don’t have to worry that one day they might not provide the food you prefer because there is always the same stuff to eat: There is a Subway, Chick-fil-A, Grille Works, a pizza and pasta place and so on. Well, at any rate you can change lunch once every two or three days to get at least some variety in your meals.

When I first saw the university’s rec-center I couldn’t believe my eyes. I never expected the school to have an indoor and outdoor pool, sauna, steam and whirlpool, volleyball, basketball, and tennis courts, weight and cardio rooms and aerobic and gym facilities. Every student who paid the annual semester fee can use the gym and all the training programs for free.