First-year students don’t go home empty-handed after campus day

Woudestein Campus was packed with stalls on Monday for the first day of Eurekaweek. There was something to be had almost everywhere for curious first-year students. From bottle openers to pens and key rings, you didn’t have to go home empty-handed.

And even when the representatives behind the stalls had nothing to give away, they were always happy to answer questions about their association or have a friendly chat. “The best thing we’re giving away for free today”, said a member of Surinamese Students Abroad (SSA) cheerfully, “is social interaction.”

Cultural associations

SSA is busy recruiting new members. Fifty people signed up last year, and the association would like to exceed that number this year. Anyone who signed up at the market today received a shaved-ice dessert or eksie koekoe – a kind of Surinamese egg cake.

The Chinese Student Association (CSA) is also looking for new members. Those who joined the association on Monday or Tuesday could sign up for free – after those days, membership costs 15 euros. They also receive discounts from the association’s partners, such as the Korean restaurant Sojubar and a hairdresser called CUT/DYE. Finally, they received a free bag containing, among other things, a fan or chopsticks, a lucky charm and Chinese toys.

Bottle openers

Alongside cultural associations, there were also student and faculty associations. At these associations, the bottle opener appeared to be popular. Many key rings were being handed out that can be used to open beer bottles. They all had the same shape, but featured different logos and colours.

Members of the Economic Faculty Association Rotterdam (EFR) were also handing out an item that can be used as a bottle opener – a lighter, for lighting candles, for example, and, indeed, for opening bottles and cans. The latter can be done with the bottom of the lighter.

Pink projection camera

The lighter was not the only unusual item at the market. PHOS, the Erasmus Creator Association, was giving a small prize to the winners of a game they came up with themselves. Anyone who could take a photo of a cuddly toy being thrown through the air received a projection-camera key ring.

The cameras are no bigger than the palm of your hand, but size is not everything, of course. They are decorated with illustrations relating to space, and have a bell attached that makes them easy to hear.

Bicycle bell

The projection camera was not the only thing that rings. Swapfiets staff were handing out bicycle bells, with the idea that they will then be heard across the campus, one of the employees explained. “When people hear the bell, I hope they become curious about where it came from.”