Day 301: Studenten

Around the age of 18, Swedish students graduate from Gymnasium and celebrate the end of a long, tough period of exams and study. So far, nothing strange about that. Many students drink copiously and make a lot of noise, some buy air horns and some scream and sing at the tops of their voices. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Families are very proud and many buy gifts for their children to congratulate them for their hard work. Still not saying anything odd.

What I neglected to mention is that the students are mostly pissed out of their heads while driving around on the back of a truck, they slowly trundle through regular traffic blasting their airhorns and screaming or throwing things at passers by. They decorate their trucks with the gifts their families give them, bouquets specially designed to hang off the side or little cuddly toys which I can only assume represent the end of childhood as they bash and bump the side of the truck and get slowly soaked in the alcohol of adulthood. Some trucks also have a theme, my only photographic evidence of this madness shows a Turkish truck which drove around Fridhemsplan and could be heard in a 2km radius.

Stockholm seemed extra busy, full of parents and families carrying gifts, flowers and large signs to announce their children's successes. Traditionally the signs feature a childhood picture of the student for extra embarrassment factor.

Later, families celebrate together in a money hemorrhaging exercise involving barbeque, food, cakes, booze and togetherness. The entire enterprise can cost thousands after truck hire, hats, party clothes, signs, air horns, booze, party hosting and more, at least according to the metro newspaper.

Fortunately for me I was invited to celebrate a student and I took a nice picture to embarras- to commemorate the day! Note the student hat, which all students are entitled to, the flair hanging round the neck and the big childhood photo on the sign!

My own student graduation consisted of the school hosting a club night for all the graduating students. While it was memorable seeing all the teachers drunk off their tits, the druggy crowd daringly on coke in front of the whole staff and the turkish contingent deliberately smashing all the glasses on the floor, I think the Swedes add some interesting extra touches to the affair. After all, my consecutive Uni life basically consisted of the same club nights, but I'm sure Swedish students only get one opportunity to wear the hat, carry the sign and terrorise town on a truck!