What I loved the most about studying in Stuttgart

It took me a complete month to sink in. Make peace with my excitement. Get used to a hundred things. Some presented with a smile, while some pelted, of course with a smile. While the best way to describe the first few days was bewilderment coupled with the blank stare at the way things were happening around, what happened after that has been quite a journey. A lot of things were rather ‘offbeat’ for me. Wearing winter gloves to roaming around in jackets for a better part of the year. Breaking the ice with the scrupulous punctuality to my taste buds relishing käsespätzle. A lot has changed. From sporting a blank stare when someone said Entschuldigung to confidently replying Ja Bitte!

The excitement and joy of living and learning in Stuttgart shuns stalling. I moved to this beautiful city around 2 years ago and have not had a moment to say, Hey, look how far you have come. This turns out to be the ‘rewind’ moment for me and a way of putting across how lovely and lively Stuttgart has turned out to be for me. Let’s get straight to finding how awesome Stuttgart is!

The student community in Stuttgart is quite sizeable and beyond a shadow of doubt, friendly. That makes the social climate so vibrant that you are likely to bump into a like-minded person more often than not. If you are feeling bored, all that you have to do is get out of your home and get to a happening place like Stadtmitte or hit one of those student bars on the campus. Your boredom and your night will be taken care of. Museums and other touristic locations always have a student discount making them affordable.

Getting around the city

I must mention, the best privilege in my opinion that we get as a student in Stuttgart is the semester ticket that is made available at a reduced price. This helps you get around the city as many times as you like and at the time you like. This also hands you the opportunity of exploring the beautiful landscape of the valley of Stuttgart without having to worry about your wallet going nuts. I see it as a boon that takes me beyond my route from my dorm to lecture halls.

Had a long day full of lectures or got consumed by the pile of assignments? The student bars on the campus have their doors open during the weekdays. The weekends usually have more to offer. Parties, live music, Karaoke or a silent bar to hang out with friends. Anything that your wallet and mind agree to. The students here just need a reason to party. A streak of semester opening parties to begin with and a few more semester ending parties to end with. Not to forget, the house parties that happen in the dorms which you can sneak in even if you remotely know a host.

The community

The community in Stuttgart is quite international and that makes it really easy when you move in. You get to meet people from across the globe. If geography didn’t interest you in school, there are possibilities of you finding about the existence of country by meeting a person from the country. The locals are really welcoming and very helpful. They may seem reserved to strangers. But, once you break the ice and grab a beer, life gets simple and fun. To add to it all, the city is not too large. That means, usually you are within the reach of things and that makes it easy. Unless you live in a really remote location, the public transport is always at your disposal.

The Beautiful campus

My favorite part of the city is the Vaihingen campus I live in. Lively or quiet, books or beer, as you like it. The campus has a lot of students living in it with them the brio. Practically, there are zero chances of being bored if you live in the campus. A run through the Pfaffenwald past all the beautiful ponds all the way to Bärenschlössle is my pick of the pastimes. The tranquillity just lifts you away from all the worldly worries bothering you.  Nevertheless, if there is a sport that you play, check the list of offerings from the Hochschulsport which is also conveniently located within the reach. There are hardly any ways living here can get any better.

Learn a new language

The best way to learn a language is when everyone around is talking the language with no one to translate it to you and you have to somehow make sense of it. It may turn out to be bothersome in the beginning. But, trust me. It gets better and after some time, you’ll end up learning a lot more than you would sitting in the classes in a country that doesn’t speak German. You go to any shop or office in Stuttgart, the first words spoken will be German and sometimes the only language spoken too. How better could it get if you want to learn a language?

Travelling across Europe

As an international student, you wouldn’t want to miss out on traveling across Europe. The visa that I got lets me travel to any Schengen countries without having to worry about any visa hurdles. This is one big advantage if you are a globetrotter and a victim of serial backpacking. Staying in Stuttgart, you have great connections to almost all the big places in Europe. Fly, rail, bus, bike or hike, your call. All that you have to worry about is how to make those extra bucks. There surely are many ways if you really want to.

Yet, I can go on and on on how splendid this city has been during my stay here. A recent survey rated Stuttgart as the least stressful city in the world. With no intention of undermining the cities I have not lived in, let me prudently put it this way, Stuttgart is quintessentially tranquil. If you are already in Stuttgart and want to add something to the list above, comment below. Not yet in Stuttgart? But considering moving to Stuttgart as a student? Let me know if there is something you would like to particularly know about by commenting below. Let’s Wrap with that thought. See you!

Saleem

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