Studying abroad in New Zealand at The University of Auckland, it was almost a little strange to be in the middle of the city and at the same time be on a college campus. Walk a few blocks off campus, and all of a sudden you are immersed in the culture of the streets of Auckland. I was pleasantly surprised that the University of Auckland has a lot of little areas to sit and it feels like you are not as close to the city as you really are.
By far, my favorite way to walk to and from campus is through the pacific studies complex. I really like the style of the buildings and there are generally so many plants and trees around.
To me it feels really peaceful, so when I am stressed out it almost relaxes me just to walk down the street. It’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle, so I find that less people walk through there.
It is also interesting to me how different each building on campus really is from one another. You have really new and modern looking buildings that are really open and big, like the Owen G. Glenn Building (OGGB) that is home to the business school.
Then you have cute older ones that belong to the arts. There is also the Old Choral Hall and the Clock tower that give off a British architectural style and feel.
Apart from the academic buildings, the campus has a really cool recreation center. I am used to my gym back home with wide open space, but since this is in the middle of the city, it is pretty compact. There are multiple floors, with stairs branching off to all of the different areas. The best part is that it offers free group classes like yoga, weight training, cycling, and others. They also have a rock wall and a basketball court.
Like all campuses, it has a library with, you know… books, and also a student center where you can get pretty much everything you need like Course books, food, mail, a health center, pharmacy, and a nifty study lounge.
Michelle Dukette is a TEAN Alum and student at University of Rhode Island. She studied abroad with TEAN in Auckland, New Zealand.
