Soon the streets of Uppsala are filled with happy students. For prospective students Saron, Liya and Isabel, Student Day is a chance for them to proudly display the flag of their origin.
- We want to pay tribute to the country we come from, says Liya.
- You want to pay tribute to your parents, says Saron.
The fact that it has become increasingly common to use international flags at student celebrations has to do with the fact that the student as a ritual has become important to many in Swedish society, according to Susanne Nylund Skog, ethnologist at the Institute for Language and Folklore, and researcher at Uppsala University.
"It's not about pushing Sweden down"
The international flags have previously sparked discussion, both politically and in social media, but Liya, Saron and Isabel do not agree that there would be any negative connotation to wearing flags other than the Swedish one.
- It's not about pushing Sweden down, but rather lifting up our parents, says Liya.
- The flags are different ingredients that can be used in this ritual to express something individual, says Susanne Nylund Skog.
May not carry the flag during the run-out
If they could, the students would have run out of their school Jensen gymnasium with Eritrea's flag on Friday. But due to restrictions that the school has passed, the students are not allowed to bring flags to the outlet. However, family and friends are allowed to be there with flags in hand.
- It feels a bit difficult, says Saron.
The basis for the decision is that the school wants to prevent any conflicts.