on campus, again -- a photo tour of the university of maryland

another chance for full-time learning came along for me and some of you asked me to show you where. welcome to the campus of the university of maryland at college park! but beware, this will be a purely non-academic tour, just highlights and fun facts.














talking of which, according to a campus tour guide the academic lawn or mall -- the biggest piece of green often in the center of a u.s. university campus -- is the longest in the united states of america. it seems that there's been a competition about green length between maryland and the university of virginia. the story goes that marylanders went to the virginian lawn and measured, went back and measured their own. apparently the marylandish lawn is 6 inches longer (15cm).















just like every u.s. university, this one also has a president. alas, the current office holder, dan mote, the guide said, is leaving soon. maybe that's why his reserved parking spot was empty?















you've seen the red brick already. now add white pillars and a portico, white window frames surrounding small glass panes and you get a sense of how most halls on campus look like. they are named after someone important to the department inside, and carry one or the other name above the entrance. in holzapfel hall -- which translates into "wooden apple" in german -- lives the office of international services among other offices.














the oldest building on campus is rossborough inn. built between 1804 and 1812, it actually existed before there was a campus to serve as a tavern. in 1858 the owners at the time sold the inn to the maryland agricultural college. founded in 1857, the college was the forerunner of the university of maryland. back to the inn: allegedly it's been a haunted house inhabited by several (good) spirits. athenians, does that ring a bell?














as of this day the university nurtures its agricultural heritage with an on-campus farm. yes, a farm with stables, dung piles, and pastures. among the hustle and bustle you can slow down and visit the horses chewing gemütlich-ly.














apart from tradition, the farm has served a practical purpose: the college of agriculture and natural resources started to churn out ice cream in 1924 to be sold in what still is a cafe named "the dairy". apparently the cool scoops of the university have been a metropolitan delicatessen with a rich history.













indeed, a small pile of "fear the turtle" was a saving grace to me on the sizzling hot day for my photo safari: white chocolate with caramel and pecans, and enough of it, too. something tells me that there'll be more occasions to try the "final exam cram", "midnight madness" and "fridge fever". the smallest serving of about two to three scoops in a cup cost $2.64. back in leipzig, one scoop at the most convenient ice cream store just opposite the seminar building cost €0.60/ $0.75.













of course a food court in the student union can't be missing for gustatorial items other than dairy. outside vendors such as taco bell, sbarro [pasta and pizza] and panda express offer the usual mostly meat based fast food fare. trying to secure some steamed rice and vegetables from the panda, i was told that everything is cooked in chicken broth. even the roughly dozen salads on display at the saladworks booth only offered two which could be considered vegetarian. vegans might have a hard time finding anything.













the most interesting detail that our guides brought to our attention is the mcdonald's. see the soda machine on the left? it's pepsi. although mcdonalds is a coke company, the big pepsi contract with the university of maryland trumps the mcdonald's coke agreement. allegedly this mcdonald's is just one of two in the united states of america making such an exception (the other one is supposedly in the state of georgia).














no u.s. college is complete without sports. "terp pride", as the guide said, is a big deal at maryland: "you just gotta love the sea of gold and black", referring to the state flag of maryland. from the top row of the bleachers in the campus stadium for the maryland terrapins you are supposed to see all the landmarks of washington, d.c., which is located about ten miles southwest.














the biggest sport court inside hosts a basketball field. tickets for the men b-ballers are highly sought after, the guide explained.














a loyality point system rewards true fans who visit low levels games to later catch better seats for the biggies, explained the guide.
















my german readers, are you wondering what a terrapin is? it translates into "Dosenschildkröte" or "Sumpfschildkröte". the one with the determined posture above is supposed to symboliz the ice cream flavor i had picked: "fear the turtle" is not just delicious dairy but also the athletic and academic motto of the university. (likewise warnings against spreading a flu start with the slogan: "the slowest thing is the world is a sick turtle...cover your cough").
















its academic incarnation is called testudo and offers its golden nose to rub for a good luck charm. at least three of the metal mascots are placed on campus -- instant luck on the go. the most popular of the metal pets to stroke sits in front of mckeldin library. this house of books is the biggest of seven libaries on campus.


















during the semeser, mckeldin library is open 24 hours from sunday to thursday for overnight study apart from regular hours. back to the turle one more time. the funniest interpretation of the schools favorite animal was inspired by one of its most popular alums. can you guess who?

















maybe the name of the creation will give you a hint. "kertle". jim henson earned a b.s. degree in home economics at the university in 1960. his muppets were modelled after professors and friends he met on campus.














not only professional sports terps, also normal students can indulge in physical activity. as college athletes enjoy their very own work out space, you won't have to compare your muscles with theirs in eppley recreation center.












apart from the obligatory basketball courts and running track (see the white banister between the pipes?)...













...there are weights in all forms and sizes...












...and an outside swimming pool. of course, there's also a natatorium inside (which was hidden behind a photo-unfriendly glass grid). people who are looking for a more extraordinary activity can do as harry potter did and join the quidditch team. gravity is no obstacle: with a broom stick between your legs, one mandatory hand on the handle, and a cape you can chase a cross country runner snitch clad in a gold with a tennis ball on his back. catch him if you can!














terp spirit can be easily bought at the college store. among the mandatory clothing and aficionado items, a maybe more unusual one is also featured.


















...














enough brawn, back to brains. tata! -- knight hall, which houses the philip merril school ofjournalism, my new academic home, from the outside...














...and inside with a lounge, which just as the entire campus (also on the lawn), provides wireless internet access in cushy chairs or on stylish stools.













special labs offer not only computers but multimedia resources.












off the record you can grab a bit of gossip, uhm, a bite to eat.













tired of our tour yet? take a lift. apart from the free-of-cost campus shuttle, the guides said the university offers walking escorts, a campus caravan for door-step pick-up, and a $5 terp taxi for longer distances. go turtles!