Today marks Sweden’s 2021 Mösspåtagning celebration, and at IEGS, we’re excited to be together with some adaptations to our normal routine. We’ll wrap up GYAR projects, discuss logistics for graduation day, do a lottery to determine order for the utspring, and practice a bit of distanced singing outside in the sunshine. We’ve made some adjustments, but the spirit of the day remains the same: we’re here to try on our hats, but also to try on the feeling of leaving.
For our third year students, that feeling runs the gamut. Some are ready for their next step. Some would really rather stay in the comfort zone they’ve built within these walls. For most, the feeling exists somewhere in the middle, and today is a great opportunity to check in and feel what’s left to embrace about the gymnasiet experience. Who and what will be missed after the real ceremony in June? How should we finish this strange and unexpected year? What moments should we cling to, remember, and make the most of? I’ve been incredibly impressed with this year’s third year group who have been so impacted by Covid. They’re independent. They’ve made the most out of an experience that presented some disappointment and more isolation than any of us would’ve liked.
I am full of confidence that they’ll make their way through the remainder of this year - last minute work, IB exams, final projects - in the same way they’ll make their way through the years coming up ahead. Just like their experience at IEGS, there will be surprises and setbacks, but there will also be self-discovery, joy, and community. As staff, we’re ready to soak up all of our last moments with our graduating third year students as today we take our first step toward graduation.