Friday, September 18, 2026

After several days filled with new places, long drives and countless impressions, Friday started in a fairly familiar way: breakfast, getting everyone into the cars and heading back to Old Dominion University. But what initially sounded like a normal university visit quickly turned into a day that took us from student life in Virginia all the way to the world of aviation and space exploration.

Our first stop was the Webb University Center at ODU, where we met in the morning for an introduction to studying at Old Dominion University. A presentation gave us an overview of the university, its programs and what studying there is actually like. For us as German students, it was especially interesting to see how strongly university life in the United States extends beyond lectures and classrooms.

A university that feels like its own little city

After the presentation, two students took us on a tour of the campus. And it did not take long to realize just how large ODU actually is.

We walked through different academic areas, crossed the library and passed modern buildings and open spaces. Between all the lecture halls and university facilities, there were places where you could simply sit down, meet friends or take a break. One of the more unexpected sights was a small pond on campus – complete with turtles living in the water.

But what impressed us most were the opportunities available outside the classroom. Sports are clearly a major part of American campus life. From football and tennis to a dedicated fitness center, students have plenty of ways to stay active without even leaving the university grounds.

The student housing was another interesting part of the tour. Instead of simply commuting to university every morning, many students actually live right on campus. We passed different residential buildings, including the French House and the Scottish House. Seeing lecture halls, sports facilities, restaurants, study areas and student housing all within walking distance made the campus feel less like a place you only visit for classes and more like a small city built around student life.

After covering what felt like almost every corner of the enormous campus, we had definitely earned our lunch.

From university life to aviation and space

With lunch finished, we got back into the cars and headed toward Hampton for the second part of the day: the Virginia Air & Space Science Center.

Our visit started not with an aircraft or a spacecraft, but with animals. We entered a huge theater and watched a film about wildlife in the United States on the giant screen. After spending the previous days mostly exploring cities, universities and American culture, it was an interesting change of perspective.

Then it was time to explore the museum itself.

We started at the top and gradually worked our way down through the different floors. What made the museum particularly enjoyable was that we were not limited to simply standing in front of exhibits and reading information boards. Many parts were interactive, giving us the opportunity to try things out ourselves and experience some of the principles behind aviation and space travel.

That turned the visit into much more than just walking through another museum. There was always something new to discover, test or discuss with the others.

By the time we reached the bottom floor, we had gone from learning about American university life in the morning to exploring aviation and space in the afternoon – all within a single day.

Eventually, we got back into our cars and made our way home. It had been another packed day of VAST26, but one that showed us two very different sides of the region: what everyday student life can look like at an American university and how closely Virginia is connected to science, technology and exploration.

And after walking across what felt like half of ODU and then through an entire museum, there was one thing we definitely did not need anymore that evening: another campus tour.