Free Furniture Festival on campus: students leave with sofas and paper holders

The old exam hall in the Van der Goot Building was packed with chairs, sofas, and kitchenware, amongst other items of furniture. The halls, usually quiet during the summer days, were now busy with students who arrived at the Free Furniture Festival to get second-hand items, indeed, for free.

This is the first Free Furniture Festival that Ontspulknul, the Municipality of Rotterdam, Erasmus University and other educational institutions organise in Rotterdam. The reason to organise such a festival? “We see that a lot of people have too many items while, at the same time, there are a lot of people with not enough items, like students. Lots of students also might not have that much money, so it’s nice when they can get a nice couch for free”, explains Jan Bosma, one of the organisers of the event.

Lucky

Few students indeed found a nice couch for free. Isabella was one of the lucky ones. The Communications and Media student arrived at the event specifically looking for a sofa. “I’m a shopaholic, and here everything is free which makes it even better. But right now I just really need a couch”, says Isabella with a wide smile while sitting on her new beige sofa with tall, seemingly soft cushions.

Minesh, an International Bachelor of Economics and Business Economics (IBEB) student, is leaving the festival quite loaded – with a ‘dream’ table and a sofa. He came prepared with his own van. “Last year my friend and I came to a similar event and we saw so many things but we didn’t have a van. So I thought that next year I’m coming prepared”, Minesh laughs. “It’s always good to buy used, so I was thinking of buying second-hand, but now it’s for free so it’s even better.”

Minesh is looking at a white table you would usually spot in a classroom. “I can imagine myself studying here and sitting down there”, he points to a brown leathery couch, “and thinking about philosophy.”

Outside of Van der Goot, students are slowly leaving with busy hands. Anushka and Jun, Erasmus Mundus students, were headed to the tram stop with a big black chair made of hard plastic and full backpacks on their shoulders. “We have to carry it for at least another forty minutes”, Jun admits. ”But at home we will put the chair on the little balcony we have.”

Different expectations

“I think I came here a bit too late”, admits Bagas, an International Business Administration student, standing in the middle of the room next to a white drawer with a red cover on top of it. The event started an hour and a half ago. “I’m still happy with the turnout, I think. I’m gonna put this drawer beside my bed. I also need a lamp, but I can’t find it anywhere, so I think I gotta give up on that.”

Some students didn’t join the event with a big necessity in mind.

“I just like free stuff”, says Bao, an IBEB student. ”I got some random things”, Bao shares as he proceeds to show the items in his bag. Paper holders, a fake flower, a bunch of Chinese decorations.

At similar small items were looking Lea and Melek, two Psychology students. They came for a desk and a lamp, though they didn’t find themselves lucky.

“It’s not very successful so far, but it’s funny. Look at these cups”, shares Lea while holding a big dusty wine glass that seems to be made of plastic.