Generally there is no such thing as ‘school spirit’ in German universities. College sports have no relevance for anyone but the ones who do them, and they’re most definitely not shown on national TV. That is something I loved about going to school in the US.

Luckily, as far as collegiate merchandise goes, German universities are catching up. So the other week, I went to the university store and bought a few things. Aside from the rubber ducky that you already got to see in the previous post (isn’t it freakin’ adorable?) I also bought a hoodie and a tshirt.

I am leaving Heidelberg in just three short weeks so I wanted some souvenirs to remind me of the town and of my time here.

I would also love a hoodie of the University of Oklahoma. I bought one when I lived in Norman, but unfortunately the hoodie’s body has shrunk and now is a little short. What a shame, because I doubt I will be able to find an OU hoodie anywhere in Europe. And what with how expensive collegiate gear is, I am a little hesitant to order online. Maybe I will just have to wait till I am in the US again. Whenever that will be.

Until then, I will proudly be wearing my Heidelberg hoodie.

Did you keep your tshirts and hoodies from when you went to school? Do you still wear them?

Since I graduated I have been trying to spend more time with friends again, but I have also started job hunting already. A week after my last exam, I was browsing job ads online and actually came across two that I wanted to apply for. Originally, I had not planned to start job hunting until August but you cannot pass up an opportunity like that. There was just one problem. I had to pick up my diploma first (something that was taken care of quickly), and I had to have application photos taken.

This is something that may confuse a lot of you. I know that in the US application photos are a big no-no. Here they are a big yes-yes. While, due to recent anti-discrimination legislation, you are no longer required to add a photo to your application, you are still expected to by most HR personnel. But it cannot just be any photo, it has to be a professional photo. So last week I made an appointment with a local photographer and got my picture taken. It turned out great, probably partially due to the fact that he photo-shopped away my imperfections. Yes, it is that kind of professional photo. I paid €32 for four copies and a CD of the photo. Luckily most applications nowadays are online, otherwise job hunting can get expensive very quickly here.

Saturday morning, my mom called me and told me about a job fair taking place in Munich the week before my move there. Because it is another opportunity I’d hate to miss, I applied right away. I passed the first round and got an invite to the job fair, but I am hoping that I will also score a job interview or two, despite applying so last-minute. Either way I will be going to the job fair in three weeks. Even if I don’t find a job there, it can be great for practice and networking opportunities as well as the workshops they offer.

I also bought two books on the application progress, because what with how bad the economy is, I do not want to mess up any chances at getting a job by not knowing application etiquette. And while I have written a few applications and had some interviews before, they were never for proper jobs, just internships. Applying for jobs is so complicated here, there is so much you can do wrong, so I really want to make sure I am doing this right. I know that it will probably take me a few months to find a job but I also know that some graduates with a degree in humanities like me take more than a year to find a decent job. That is a scary prospect and something I really do not want to happen to me so I am trying to seize every opportunity I get.

Am I the only one to find the job hunting and application process a little daunting?

Yup, that’s right! I am. On my birthday my mom mentioned to me that she would like to go on a trip with me after graduation, before I enter the working world. The cities from my to-travel list from this post immediately came to mind.

Unfortunately my mom refused to spend a day at Disneyland were we to go to Paris, so Paris was off the list. I absolutely want to visit Paris, but when I do, I want to go to Disneyland. I have never been to Disney-anything (can you believe it?), and I know that once I have been to Paris, it is a lot less likely that I will go there again any time soon just to go to Disneyland. However, this has made me want to go to Paris all the more. I want to go next year, provided that I find a decently-paying job.

So which city did we finally settle on you ask? A beautiful one. A city that is roughly 230 miles from Munich. Outside Germany.  To the east. Got it?

Photo by Trent Strohm.

Prague.

I absolutely cannot wait for this trip. We will be going for five days in the first week of September, just a few days after I move back to Munich. I already did all the planning last week & booked a nice 4* hotel and the train & bus to get to Prague from Munich for us. That’s right, this girl will be staying at a 4* hotel! Definitely an upgrade from the hostels I usually stay in when I travel by myself.

I have already bought the Lonely Planet guide for Prague and will be reading up on Prague and its sights in the next few weeks to make sure I won’t be missing out on anything. I cannot wait to visit this gorgeous city and take pictures of it.

And it is so amazing that I will get to go on a vacation this year after all, something I had already given up on. My last one was to New York City last year in March (and that was technically an excursion with the English Department). It has been way too long since the last time I left the country.

Are you going on vacation this year? Or did you already? Where to?