When NYC college kids rotate out of their dormitories at the end of the school year, many of them leave behind a rich wake of discarded possessions that surface in big dumpsters out on the street. This is a very special time of year for New Yorkers who love hunting for free stuff—according to filmmaker Jeff Seal, some scavengers call it "Punk Christmas." Here's his deep dive into the world of collegiate detritus.
"I shot this back in May when NYU and The New School were getting out for the summer," Seal recalls. "I'd heard for years that you can find a ton of good stuff being thrown out at this time but I missed it every year for one reason or another. It's crazy how much stuff is thrown out—they have to rent those huge dumpsters out front to hold everything."
Seal, a seasoned dumpster diver, would like to state for the record that he "didn't take anything from the donation rooms." Check out more of his videos here.
