“We entered college as very different people, and now when we are leaving we are someone else.”, says Rishika Tiwari, a third year Advertising student at SCMC, who is packing to move to Mumbai next month. Her batchmates share her sentiment.
If one logs on to the second-hand goods online marketplace Olx today, Viman Nagar would look like a bustling market for sellers of ‘barely’ used mattresses, cupboards, beds, tables and what-have-you.
“There are little-little things which I needed so I bought over time but now I reflect and see there’s so many items that have collected which I now need to give away!”, says Ankita Chawla, an advertising student. To deal with this pile of now futile things, students have devised multiple innovative solutions.
Manasvi Singh Chauhan, a film student who is moving to Mumbai, has already begun giving away her old books at cheap rates to people. She is also mulling on having a garage sale with her to sell the rest of the things she doesn’t require anymore. “When you’re leaving the hostel, or generally you’re leaving college you’d like to start afresh so I’d like to sell a lot of my stuff away”, she says.
Similarly, Rishika has circulated a list of books she owns for people to pick up from her, for free. For students who have moved out into apartments, house appliances, beds, tables and chairs make a big list of items to give away.
Sahana Iyer, a journalism student has built up her profile on Olx, and is now selling her furniture along with shoes and clothes. “Despite the benefits, you need to be careful on such platforms. One man tried to buy my shoes for the smell because he had a foot fetish,” she warns.
Donations, shipping services, additional baggage allowances, student discounts, household helps and juniors in college form the second line of defence for many. Noreen Shah, who would be carrying her luggage internationally to her parents’ in Abu Dhabi has instructed them to purchase additional luggage allowance for a comfortable travel.
“I will be donating and giving away a lot of my things to charitable organizations or my juniors themselves. Even then if my things cross the limit, I would have them shipped to my grandparents’ place in New Delhi,” she says. It’s an emotional time for these students. Rummaging through their luggage, stumbling upon things from different times in their college life brings up fresh memories.
Imana Bhattacharya (Batch 2019)
Image: Representational
