Campus Expedition 2024: From Landau through the Palatinate Forest to Kaiserslautern

RPTU is considered the greenest campus in Germany thanks to the Palatinate Forest between Kaiserslautern and Landau. The ZSGW (Center for Sport, Health and Wellbeing) offers students with the Campus Expedition the opportunity to experience nature intensively in this biosphere reserve and to discover the connection between the Landau and Kaiserslautern campuses in a special way. Laura Schlicksupp and Louisa Marie Kienesberger took part in this year's Campus Expedition and shared their impressions with us.

Laura Schlicksupp is studying psychology in her 10th semester at RPTU in Landau and is writing her Bachelor's thesis. Although she doesn't yet have much experience with hiking tours, she is always up for new challenges and was keen to experience the Campus Expedition.

Louisa Marie Kienesberger is originally from Austria. As part of her Erasmus Mundus Master's degree, she got to know universities in France and Denmark as well as RPTU in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The latter convinced her: she is back and is now writing her Master's thesis in the Quantum Technologies degree program at RPTU. She particularly appreciates the natural surroundings and the proximity to the Palatinate Forest - so the Campus Expedition 2024 was a must!

Laura and Louisa, what is the Campus Expedition and what attracted you to take part?

Louisa: The aim of the Campus Expedition is to hike from Landau to Kaiserslautern in around three days. It took place for the first time in 2023 and was initiated by the ZSGW after the merger of the two universities of Landau and Kaiserslautern. I was too late with my application for the Campus Expedition 2023. All the better that it worked out this year.

Laura: In 2023, I scanned the QR code on a flyer when I saw the advertisement. I had to apply with a kind of letter of motivation and briefly tell them who I am and why I really wanted to take part. What particularly appealed to me about the Campus Expedition: The Palatinate Forest, which connects the two locations Kaiserslautern and Landau. That's why the Campus Expedition is also about exploring nature and discovering it in all its facets. Unfortunately, I wasn't accepted straight away when I first applied, but this year it worked out!

What was Campus Expedition 2024 like for you?

Laura: I started the Campus Expedition with a great sense of adventure, and it stayed that way. But it was a bit of a shame that we had to change our plans quite a lot due to the changeable weather. It was a bit chaotic at times and really stressful for everyone involved because we often had to improvise. Fortunately, this didn't affect the mood at all. On the contrary - it was a bit of an adventure.

Louisa: Exactly! We were surprised by hail and snow, which is why we covered some distances by bus and walked less than planned. We also had to rethink where we set up camp for the night and take the weather into account when planning. So it was a slightly different campus expedition this year. But I think it all made for an unforgettable experience.

That sounds like a special challenge. Is the Campus Expedition also something for inexperienced hikers?

Louisa: I already knew from stories that the Campus Expedition can be a bit of a sporting challenge. But I like being out in nature and spending a lot of time in the mountains. I go hiking and climbing a lot in my home country, which is why I applied for the Campus Expedition. However, the Campus Expedition is basically open to everyone. Of course, it doesn't hurt if you've already done a bit of hiking, but it should also be doable for those who are completely inexperienced. We were a group of 17 participants, all with different walking speeds. Nevertheless, we always ran together and waited for each other. This was mainly due to the fact that the ZSGW organized the Campus Expedition superbly. We were perfectly equipped, were able to transport our camping equipment in the bus and didn't have to take anything with us apart from a small hiking rucksack, e.g. for water bottles. That's why I can recommend everyone to try out the Campus Expedition.

Laura: I agree. I definitely underestimated how much organization is involved and was really impressed by the team behind the Campus Expedition. Especially because I didn't have to worry about anything beforehand. In my opinion, inexperienced hikers should simply bring a lot of motivation and willpower with them. You need that to keep going, even if you get physically tired or don't feel like it anymore. If you have the motivation, then you can manage the route well. The good mood on the route and the atmosphere within the group really help!

Was there a highlight despite the weather?

Laura: The landscape - it was really incredibly beautiful. And I also had my cell phone off for three days to really switch off. That was my personal highlight. I came home after the tour and was much more relaxed than before. The nature, despite the weather, totally relaxed me.

Louisa: It really is a highlight for me, especially because of the weather. It's really something special when you open the tent in the morning and there's freshly fallen snow. And in the evening it's all the more cozy around the campfire. There was also a guitarist in our group. All in all, it was perfect!

You experienced nature in all its facets...

Louisa: Definitely! What surprised me was that the Campus Expedition wasn't just a hiking trip. On the way from Landau to Kaiserslautern, we stopped at various stations and talked to foresters and other experts. Some of them hiked with us and showed us the Palatinate Forest from different perspectives. I would never have thought that science, environmental protection and nature would come together here and that I would learn so many new things.

And all this is available to read and relive in the expedition book?

Louisa: Exactly, the expedition book has been around since the start of the Campus Expedition last year. All participants and station experts have immortalized themselves in it and it is always with them. We took a group photo at each station and recorded the experiences. It is a book full of wonderful memories that will be used and passed on for many years to come.

Why should everyone take part in the Campus Expedition?

Laura: I met someone who I even went camping with again straight away. That was totally cool! It's also so much fun to be out in nature. You learn an incredible amount about yourself and the others in the group. And this experience - camping in the forest, the weather conditions and the landscape - is really unique!

Louisa: I can only agree with that. Just bring a good mood and everything else is taken care of!

The Campus Expedition at a glance:

• Hike from the Landau campus to the Kaiserslautern campus (alternating start campuses) over the course of three days
• Visits to research stations with valuable insights into scientific and ecological contexts
• 60 kilometers distance and 1700 meters of altitude
• Next Campus Expedition: fall 2025
• More information about the Campus Expedition: https: //zsgw.rptu.de/campusplus/wald/campus-expedition