After spending our first day exploring Augsburg, we had the opportunity to visit the University of Augsburg and learn more about student life in Germany. The university was not exactly what I expected. It was smaller than I imagined, but one thing that immediately stood out was how connected the campus is to nature. There were grassy walkways, ponds, and even sheep grazing in some of the green spaces. Compared to the campuses I am used to, it felt much more open and integrated with the environment.
One of the coolest things about the university was how accessible it felt. As soon as you stepped off the train, you were on campus. There was no gate or long walk from the station. The campus surrounded the train stop, which made it feel very connected to the city and public transportation. The buildings themselves were much simpler than what I am used to at Pitt, but they still felt modern and functional. The classrooms also surprised me because they had large windows that let in a lot of natural light, making them feel much more open than some of the classrooms back home.
We also got to eat lunch in the Mensa, which is the university cafeteria. At first it felt a little chaotic, but I liked how there were so many different options. There were stations for pizza, pasta, salads, Asian dishes, and drinks, so there was something for everyone. I had pasta bolognese and potato dumplings, which are round potato balls that are common in Germany. The food itself felt similar to what I might eat in a dining hall at home, but the experience was different because there were more workers serving the food rather than mostly grab-and-go stations.
Another highlight of the day was hearing from a guest speaker from Audi. He talked about his role within the company and how strategy helps shape the future direction of the business. As a business student, it was interesting to hear about the automotive industry from someone working directly in it.
Later, we completed a campus tour and a scavenger hunt around Augsburg with some of the German students who will be coming to Pittsburgh in the fall. This was probably one of my favorite parts of the day because we got to see the city from a student’s perspective. They showed us some of their favorite coffee shops, ice cream spots, and grocery stores while helping us learn more about the city. It was also interesting to hear about their education system, study abroad experiences, and what student life is like in Germany.
To end the day, we went to an Italian restaurant. I ordered a Hawaiian pizza, and what was considered a personal pizza was almost the size of a regular pizza back home. I also tried Mezzo Mix for the first time. It tasted like a mix of cola and orange soda, which was definitely different from anything I had tried before. Overall, the day gave me a much better understanding of student life in Augsburg and how it compares to my experiences in the United States.