{"id":199046,"date":"2026-08-20T14:14:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=199046"},"modified":"2026-08-20T15:33:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T13:33:18","slug":"eerstejaars-vinden-nieuwe-besties-tijdens-eurekaweek-ik-wil-over-tien-jaar-nog-bevriend-zijn-met-haar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/08\/20\/eerstejaars-vinden-nieuwe-besties-tijdens-eurekaweek-ik-wil-over-tien-jaar-nog-bevriend-zijn-met-haar\/","title":{"rendered":"First-years find new besties during Eurekaweek: \u2018I still want to be friends with her in ten years\u2019 time\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For first-years, the Eurekaweek can be quite daunting: a new study, a new city and thousands of unfamiliar faces. But during the Festival at Lloyd Multiplein, it became clear that new friendships already form in the very first week of student life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lynn and Theresa are taking part in the Eurekaweek together, even though they are in different groups.<\/p>

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPien D\u00fcthmann<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2018I want to have breakfast with her every day\u2019<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First-years Lynn and Theresa know exactly when their meet-cute took place: 15 August. They are about to start Liberal Arts and Sciences and live in LUCIA, the student complex of Erasmus University College. \u201cWe bumped into each other in the basement and started chatting\u201d, says Lynn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They clicked immediately. On the first night they went out together and since then they spent a lot of time together, including during the Eurekaweek. They were assigned to different Eurekaweek groups, but kept seeking each other out. \u201cWe just switched groups so we could be together. I went to her group or she came to mine\u201d, says Theresa. \u201cDuring the sports day we looked around together and now we\u2019re visiting all the stalls for free freebies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to them, they already know a lot about each other. \u201cIt\u2019s not like we\u2019re interviewing each other or anything. We\u2019re real yappers, so we just tell each other things about our lives. We can chat all day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The girls can already see themselves still being friends in ten years\u2019 time. \u201cI don\u2019t care whether she wants to stay friends, I definitely do\u201d, says Theresa. They have already developed a ritual: having breakfast together. \u201cThe first time we did that, I immediately thought: I\u2019d happily do this every morning!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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First-years enjoy the Festival with their new friends.<\/p>

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\u2018I can always have a laugh with him\u2019<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Economics students Gijs and Jad got to know each other a few weeks before the Eurekaweek. During the pre-academic programme, they were in a Teams meeting with all the first-years. \u201cJad saw my name and thought: yes, he\u2019s Dutch. So he turned on his microphone and shouted over everyone: \u2018Gijs!\u2019 That got my attention\u201d, says Gijs. Last week they saw each other in person for the first time on campus. \u201cMy pupils dilated when I saw him and we instantly became best friends\u201d, jokes Jad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jad and Gijs are going to do Economics and Econometrics together.<\/p>

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Why do they get on so well? \u201cHe\u2019s a white man, it\u2019s good for my image to have white friends\u201d, laughs Jad. But seriously: \u201cI can always have a laugh with him.\u201d And the feeling is mutual. Gijs: \u201cJad genuinely has no shame.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gijs mentions an assignment they were given last week while preparing for their studies. They had to present their learning plan as a theatre performance. \u201cSo we re-enacted the Battle of Waterloo. I was Napoleon and Jad was the narrator. He made sound effects whenever there was action and then shamelessly started singing loudly in French on stage.\u201d But what does the Battle of Waterloo have to do with economics? \u201cNothing. That\u2019s why the lecturer rejected it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two plan to have a great time during the Festival. What was their favourite part of the Eurekaweek programme? \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter, man. As long as we\u2019re together, we have fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018We have deep conversations with each other\u2019<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First-year Louis is about to study Psychology at the Erasmus University and Isaac is starting Healthcare Technology at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. The two met on Monday during a game of table tennis on campus. After Isaac beat Louis a few times, they started talking. \u201cHe\u2019s a calm person, and so am I. I like that\u201d, says Isaac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boys then started spending time together. Isaac is from Eindhoven and does not know Rotterdam very well yet, so Louis has taken on the role of guide. \u201cI was born and raised in Rotterdam, so this is my hood\u201d, laughs Louis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Louis and Isaac do not want to be photographed, but are happy to share their story.<\/p>

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Although they have only known each other for a few days, they already know quite a lot about one another. Louis knows, for example, that Isaac has two sisters and lots of cousins, is half French, enjoys speaking French and skateboarding, and likes listening to music. But they don\u2019t only talk about everyday things. \u201cWe\u2019ve had deep personal conversations\u201d, says Isaac. \u201cAnd that\u2019s quite special: that we can be so open with each other even though we\u2019ve only just met.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will the friendship last now that they are studying at different institutions? \u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019ll see him again. He\u2019s a cool guy\u201d, says Louis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018She is the second visitor to my new room\u2019<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sennah and Anna are about to study Criminology and were sitting next to each other during the Opening Ceremony. They turned out to be the only people in their Eurekaweek group with bicycles, so after the ceremony they cycled to campus together. \u201cThat\u2019s when we started talking and discovered that we actually have quite a lot in common\u201d, says Anna. They both have curly hair, come from religious families and have a younger brother. \u201cAnd we both have a really old Gazelle bike with a complicated lock\u201d, Anna laughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From the Opening ceremony until the Festival, Sennah and Anna stay together.<\/p>

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Since that bike ride, the two have spent a lot of time together. During Campus Day of Eurekaweek they walked around together, ate together and Sennah visited Anna\u2019s room. \u201cI only moved into this room last Sunday, so she\u2019s my second visitor\u201d, says Anna. There they had a good chat and tried a new Pringles flavour: the pesto variety. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t recommend it\u201d, says Sennah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They enjoy each other\u2019s company and plan to stay friends during their studies. \u201cIf we\u2019re still friends when we graduate, we\u2019ll call EM and you can take another photo of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Een lijst met artikelen<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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