Nostalgia

It's that time of the year again... Boys and girls in tuxes and gowns heading to Grand Hotel for the student ball. Kids dressed in white, wearing the student hats, walking the streets screaming and blowing in their whistles. Fancy cars with flowers and decorations riding around town. People, all dressed up, hurrying along with huge bouqets of flowers in arms while also trying to hold on to a placard with a picture of a little boy or girl doing some typical child's activity.

Graduation time.
It's a huge deal in Lund. Let's face it - this town is famous for one thing, and that is the University and the snobbery that surrounds all things academic.

It's a great time though, if you don't mind you hearing deteriorating from all the car horns, whistles and general screaming. Everyone's so happy. It brings me back to when I was the one getting ready for the ball. Hair, make-up, pre-drinks... Fancy dinner at Grand, waving from the balcony, waltzing, party at Mejeriet and then at school, the aching feet and the people looking at us walking - limping - home the next morning.

It brings me back to when I was the one wearing white, walking around town singing with my friends 'För vi har tagit studenten- fy fan vad vi är bra'. I remember every minute of the day, despite all the champagne I had. Champagne and strawberries (and cigars, if you were that way inclined) for breakfast in the Botanical Park, the busride to our mentor's house during which everyone signed everyone else's hats (or at least as many as you had the time to), food and more champagne in the garden, dancing, signing more hats, riding back to school to be photographed, dancing and singing so much the photographer had to wait until we'd all calmed down, sitting in the aula hearing our class being called out, running down the stairs out to all of our families waiting, being the only class who defied tradition and sang 'The Bird Dance' on the stairs in front of everyone instead of the classic student song, and then riding around town with Ricky Martin on the radio (not my choice!) shouting and waving at everyone else in their cars. Family and friends waiting at home with food, cake, presents and congratulations. Going to Tegnér's to party with all the others all night.

Crying my eyes out to the pricipal's speech and the choir's goodbye song in the aula the next day, the same aula where we were shouting and laughing the day before. Large group hug in the classroom before leaving. Sitting in the park all afternoon with my closest friends, not wanting to say goodbye.

I can't believe it's three years ago, they've flown by so fast. That week was one of the best weeks I can remember. The whole atmosphere in Lund during these days is something special, especially if you're from here, have grown up with it and know what it all means.
Three years. Damn.