Bochum in 2011. As we often did, I strolled with my roommate to the neighboring kitchen in the Grimberg (student residence hall at the Sports Faculty of Ruhr University Bochum) to spend a pleasant evening with my friends. The kitchen of the three shared apartments served as the living room of each apartment and, in most cases, faced the courtyard of the student residence hall. Kristina and Claudi were already eagerly awaiting us, and the other philistines weren't long in coming. The time in the Grimberg was a special time. Many students were leaving their parents' homes for the first time and moving into their first shared apartment; others were even leaving the city to study in Bochum. Growing up while still being a child. That was the time in the Grimberg. Alongside studying, people worked to earn enough money, and their free time was spent with friends at the Grimberg. Sometimes they didn't have to leave the Grimberg grounds for several days. The large lawn in the middle of the two L-shaped buildings provided space for all kinds of activities. The arcade of the buildings was furnished with sofas and other seating, the windows and doors of the apartments open. All residents participated in communal sports, eating, and drinking activities. What day is it? This question was often justified, because time often didn't matter at Grimberg. That evening, Kristina had brought a surprise from home. She found several old childhood items at her parents' house, including a cassette tape. Bravo Hits 11 (I think—that will become clear with the photos). On tape. Two sides of the finest tunes for your ears. The kitchen stereo still had a tape deck—what a fate. The very first song was a blast. Max (the second redhead to visit the DFB Cup ;-)) couldn't contain himself and made a train around the kitchen table to "Eine Insel mit zwei Bergen" by Dolls United. This evening would go down in history. Other evenings were shaped by this evening and reminded me of a time characterized by great joy in life. Even today, it brings a big smile to my face when I think back to that time. The tape is a symbol of that era because it played a key role in shaping the highlights of that phase. Familiar songs from childhood on cassette were no longer in keeping with digital technology. Nevertheless, those evenings were a highlight because not every other song was skipped and not five people circling the DJ to make requests. The tape played and everyone in the room gave themselves over to the atmosphere without thinking about which track would come next. This timeless atmosphere of the Grimberg was particularly reflected on those evenings. I'm looking forward to the next party with the tape in question. The tape has special value as an object because, by playing the music, it takes me/us straight back to the atmosphere and emotions of those last situations. The music quickly evokes similar feelings in me to those I had at the first party.
