On May 1, Mercator’s floor representatives showed that their job does not only involve keeping the vacuum cleaner and reminding their floor mates about the state of the kitchen. May 1 will be remembered by many IUB students as the day when College Ring 6 became “Mercatorstrasse 69”.

As IUB students don’t go out to experience the street too often, we simply brought the street to them. But what makes a street after all?

Well, on Mercatorstrasse 69 one could meet street performers with colorful ribbons, from whom you could learn how to juggle. Some got their first ticket from “a cop” in Germany for illegal public drinking or other infringements, or got an immoral proposition from “a prostitute”. If you were unable to pay for the delicious waffles prepared by our great RA’s, Thomas and Barbara, or buy some unique souvenirs from the traveling saleswoman, you could always get some Merc Dollars featuring Klaus Boehnke’s image from a living ATM. Waiting for a palm and tarot cards reading by a mysterious Madame was made more enjoyable by the cold beer from a tap, but you always had to beware of the drunk “Werder Bremen fan” and the “pick-pocket” who even “stole” the camera of a poor tourist. Creative students had an once-in-a-lifetime chance to express themselves with graffiti and chalk or decorate their bodies with paintings and handmade jewelry. We also saw passionate water balloon fights evolve around the pool and smoking heads at the chess and backgammon boards. All those events were banished on Polaroid film by an enthusiastic photographer. You could also spend your time on Mercatorstrasse 69 looking at a living statue, dancing salsa, playing badminton or with hula-hoops before eventually the afternoon was topped with some finger food from Aramark.

The essence of Mercatorstrasse 69 - a bit of sunshine, chilled beer in your hands and some friends around is all you need to be content.

You can find more pictures here.

(text by Juliane Ötzel)