The violinist doesn't need light or breaks - passion embraces his and he spins through the crowds and the gypsy music engulfs the square of obeliscs and goths into a fiery sound.
night
What Jacobs Means to Me
in Photography, Story, Thoughts
[In the wake of the 10-year anniversary of Jacobs University, my Alma Mater, I did some reminiscing.]
Having come to, back then, International University Bremen, in 2004, I had long hair, some interest in international relations, and exclusive interest in academia. I came to Jacobs because, frankly, its value proposition appealed to me - I.e. They accepted my application and offered me financial support. Little did I know what my next years will bring. And just as well because who would have believed it. It is now 7 years down the road and I've been at Jacobs for more than 6 having moved on only very recently. So, now after I have left and have acquired a more objective view, you ssk me what Jacobs means to me.
Well, Jacobs means a world to me. Not THE world, because Jacobs and it's people are from an entirely different world. We live in our heads, you know - in a bubble - a mass bubble of brains (and the occasional smoking body - which doesn't stay smoking for long - stress plus pizza at 2 in the morning isn't a great combination). We live up there, trying to solve the world issues - we look at them with this curiosity of a child.you know the type of curiosity - the idealistic one - the world needed fixing so, let's just go ahead and fix it. And this is what will make a 10 year anniversary just a small stone on the road - like IUB rocks. End point: outside of the bubble.
Jacobs means to me a dream. No, not because most of the time anyone is simply asleep. Not because the years there passed as quickly as a dream, nor because I dream about them all the time. But because in a dream you can make anything happen. And so can you at Jacobs - that's where everything actually happens. And this is what will make a 10 year anniversary just a small stone on the Jacobs road. Destination: Neverland.
And Jacobs actually means to me a family. Not because whenever We go there, We will meet a person We know, nor because when we go there and We meet someone we don't know We will be able to start a whole-night conversation out of the blue; not because when we go there, We will always have more than 600 beds offering to host us. Jacobs is family because you cannot choose it (and neither can it - that's the magic about the admissions process), because it takes you naked, exposed and vulnerable and you aren't ashamed or scared of it; because it will is like the word "miracle" tattooed on your butt - no one sees it, but you know it is there and it is your protection (besides, it makes you cocky which always helps); because it loves looking through old family albums and showing the world what the children of Jacobs have accomplished. And this is what makes these recordings pages of the perpetually growing album of the Jacobs university offspring. Let's proudly show the world what our family has achieved, paving the road to Neverland.
