Master’s students Nikita (23, Quantative Finance) and Rita (23, Data Science) gesture to a guide across the street. It turns out to be a friend from their own Eureka year. A year later, the group of friends of the two students still consists for a large part of people they know from the introduction period. Rita and Nikita assist fifteen master’s students in their discovery of Rotterdam.
Why are you a guide?
Rita smiles: “We have a special connection with Eurekaweek.”
Nikita explains: “As master students we met during Eurekaweek, a month later we were dating and now we are guides of the same group together.”
Did you fall in love during Eurekaweek?
Rita: “There was a spark already during the parties as the week progressed, even though we took our time afterwards. But we’ve been together for almost a year now, and that wouldn’t have happened without Eurekaweek.”
What places and associations that are not covered in the programme would you like to showcase yourself?
Nikita: “We would definitely like to barbecue at the Kralingse Plas. It is very beautiful there now. And romantic. Furthermore, a kapsalon at Has after a night out is pretty epic.”
What kind of guides are you, strict parents or mates?
Rita: “With our group, we don’t really have to be strict. Master students are much calmer than first-year students.”
What is your nightmare scenario for this week and how do you prepare for it?
Nikita: “Losing students from your group… Last year one of our guides was a guy with a big blond frizzy haircut. You could see him coming from miles away. That helped.”
Rita: “I might want to buy a very striking bright yellow umbrella. So that people don’t lose us.”
What do students think?
A master’s student smiles: “Nikita and Rita are very spontaneous and they keep up the pace. You see many groups just hanging around endlessly. But the guides take into account what we want and we are not bored.”
