Monday, 5 October, 8.30 a.m., Haarentor campus, Lecture Hall Centre: To kick off the orientation week - information market and ceremonial welcome event.
It feels like all of the 2,200 or so first-semester students flock to the information market set up for them in the foyer. The excitement and anticipation of this new phase in their lives is almost palpable. The information stands, which offer answers to many burning "first semester questions", are surrounded in no time at all.
Upstairs in the A14, there is already a queue in front of the Audimax doors. The Audimax: the largest event room the university has to offer. But not big enough to welcome all first-semester students at the same time. The "first round" of the ceremonial welcome event, which takes place twice this morning, takes place here at 9.00 am. As soon as the doors open, the hall is already full. The event gets off to a musical start with a drum roll - the music student formations "Better Call Soul" and "Schlagwerk Ossietzky" really let it rip!
The words of welcome from the President of the University, Prof. Dr Dr Hans Michael Piper, who also revealed himself to be a "first-year student" in his speech - he has only been in office for two months and is in the middle of the orientation marathon. He is firmly convinced that the university and the city of Oldenburg are a good choice, both for him and for the new students. Every year, it is a "great moment" for the Vice President of Studies and Teaching, Prof Dr Gunilla Budde, to welcome the first semester students to the University of Oldenburg. And the AStA calls on them to get involved in the university and take on responsibility. Romanian Andreea Izabella Miret humorously describes her impressions of studying and living in Oldenburg from the perspective of an international student.
The "Shortest Poetry Slam in Germany", skilfully presented on stage despite the early hour by the ensemble members of the Oldenburg State Theatre Klaas Schramm, Pirmin Sedlmeier and Nils Früchtenicht, also ensures a good mood. Doctoral candidate Derik Behrens moderates all of this with a twinkle in his eye over the one and a half hours. And then it's back out of the Audimax and into the adventure of studying - welcome!
