Four Erasmus students from Portugal and Belgium celebrated the New Year with an unexpected swim in Thessaloniki’s Thermatic Gulf, despite warnings about the water quality. Leaving their belongings on the pier, the students made a splash into the sea, motivated by the belief that if fish could survive, so could they. Their swim accompanied by remnants of wish lanterns illuminated the evening sky, adding a festive touch to their adventurous start to 2025.