Another Valborg has passed. Slightly chaotic as usual. Not from a personal perspective that is;) No no. I find the somewhat forced Valborg celebration to be a great opportunity to observe human behaviour. Alcohol seems to legitimize behaviour that otherwise isn't considered to be appropiate. This is of course not ground breaking news in any way, but interesting to acknowledge, and observe. Indeed, as my good friend Jenny would add.
I had just left my apartment and entered the streets when a teenage kid says YO! and want me to put my fist towards his. I smiled. He commented: Fuck, you're boring. Interesting. Conclusion: I'm boring because i didn't do what he wanted me to do, quite likely because he was affected by alcohol. He probably wouldn't have greeted me, even looked at me, if not being under the influence of alcohol... At least no one has ever greeted me in that way before.
While having lunch in a café a considerably longer queue was built up in front of the toilet, they even opened the one for the staff. Non-customers paid to use it. Big business.
The park behind Ekonomikum, three words: RAVE music, cramped, alcohol. Glad to have been there? Yes (with the exception of the beer someone dropped and part of which came on my shirt and wrist, but it was to be expected in this kind of environment). Do i have a need to go there next year? No, or maybe...
It was then time for another old Uppsala University tradition: the putting on of student hats and the principal's speech. Right. The crowd in front of Carolina Rediviva waved their hats in the air, sun was shining... What? The speech is over? Did anyone hear what was said? Question: Why does the principal not use a microphone connected to some loudspeakers?
We then passed by Norrland's Nation where there was some dancing going on, two of the group members, Gabriel and Hele, joined in and i was accused of being paparazzi for a while!
This beautiful day ended with a bbq at Vanda's house, we tried the garden, but brrrrrr it got too cold so we decided we were better off in the kitchen. Afterwards the group split up, some were tired and decided to go home, three went to a dance at the castle while six of us went to a pub/restaurant finishing the evening with a drink.
Valborg is an interesting phenomenon, just like any holiday really, because on these days one is supposed to have fun. There is a certain pressure. Or? As one friend expressed it "i hate these kind of days, all i want to do is to crawl into bed and watch a film, and just forget about it." I can't say i feel any pressure; each day is a gift and if i don't feel like doing what is to be expected of me by the social norms that particular day, i wont (i refer this reasoning to holiday celebrations alright...) But if i were to say i do feel pressure, would that be a valid excuse/lie to visit some other exciting place in the world? Ekonomicum park... Exotic destination... Ehmmm...
