The University of Mainz

Other than the University of Memphis, the Campus in Mainz is quite old. The university was opened in 1477 and you can tell that buildings on campus arose historically. Therefore nothing really fits together- new houses were built arbitrarily next to old barracks. But nevertheless, it is one of the few campus- based universities in Germany. Another huge advantage: the University of Mainz doesn’t levy fees or tuitions to study there.

We have fewer green space on campus than Memphis does, but we have a botanical garden located on campus, The Arboretum contains greenhouses, an alpine garden and all different kinds of plants, trees and crops. Every student can take a walk through the garden and rest or study there.

One fact I really like about the University is the folksiness on campus. There are different cafeterias such as the “Kulturcafé” or the “ReWi” cafeteria that provide space to sit down with your friends and talk, study or just frolic in the sun for hours. Although to me the campus in Mainz is not nearly as beautiful than the one in Memphis, I think it is way more comfortable, homey and unhurried there.

Everybody enrolled can use the sports’ facilities and take sports’ classes on campus for free, you can sign up for aerobic, dance and fencing classes, self-defense courses and many, many more. The “mensa” provides snacks and drinks all day long and serves lunch for very reasonable prices. Although some of the same meals appear on the menu every once in a while, they are trying to provide four to six different kinds of lunch every day so that students won’t get bored eating there.

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.