Norway’s Crazy High School Tradition

Norway is filled with great people and traditions, but did you know that every spring teenagers go crazy and everyone is totally fine with it?

“Russ” is a yearly tradition that is part road trip, part rave, part high school graduation and full craziness. It happens in May every year for the class that graduates.


The “Russ” grabs their friends, designs a bus and travels around the country getting drunk.
You can tell someone is “Russ because they wear crazy overalls called “russebukse”. These are often customized with names and greetings from their friends. These pants are mostly red but some are black, blue and green as well. The colors of the merchandize depends on witch subject have chosen.


They also carry around specially made “Russ” cards with their school, address, name, telephone number and a joke (name, address and telephone number are often not real). These cards are handed out to children who ask for it on our independence day, the 17th of May. Most of the children get crazy about the cards and follow the “russ” around to get them.

They also complete insane challenges in order to get knots, or “russeknuter”, on their caps. They do everything from drinking insane amounts of alkohol to licking the floor. At least two people have to witness it for it to be official.

It is only in the last decades it has become this big. Before that, it was only really in May, and now it takes all spring. The “Russ” spend all of their money on the buss, traveling, and the clothing.

Sometimes it can even effect their exams (that often are on May 18th). The madness ends on the 17th of May, the independence day.

All of this is not only legal, but encouraged.

Sources:
http://www.buzzfeed.com

26 kommentarer:

  1. In America drinking is illegal while in high school. If you are caught drinking you will get in big trouble.This seems like a cool and really fun tradition.

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    1. In Norway you only have to be 18 years old to drink, and they do this when they are 19, so it is legal.

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  2. How long has this tradition been going on?
    Is it only students?
    Does every student go?

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    1. I don't know, but it has been going on for a long time. Most people do it, but not all go totally crazy.

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  3. I can't believe you are encouraged to do that. Sounds crazy and like a lot of fun. The cards sound pretty cool too.

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    1. most children go really crazy and run after the russ to get the cards

      Slett
  4. Russ sounds like a lot of fun. It is crazy that you are encouraged to party. The cards that you give to kids seem really cool.

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  5. I don't know, but if we could possibly do this in our country/state, I would be more than happy! In my opinion, let's do it! I think that's a great idea because you spent your whole life trying to graduate, so once you've finally graduated you should cut loose and have tons of fun for one night!

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  6. I think that it is cool that they have "russ" cards. Its crazy that they get drunk when their in High School. In America we aren't aloud to get drunk when we are only in High School.

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  7. Wow, that's really cool. I wish that here in America we were allowed to do that. Most of us do, even before were 18, but its illegal and getting caught can be really serious. Of course we all try not to get caught, but sometimes, it just doesn't happen that way.

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  8. Russ seem to be crazy and fun. It is full of crazy people. they are aloud to do bad stuff.

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    1. they are not really allowed to do all the bad things, but they do it anyway

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  9. Wow that's cool. I think it would be fun to be able to do that. Here in America if we do that we get in a lot of trouble I would like to come visit some time it sounds like a good time

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  10. That sounds fun! It's illegal to drink if you're under 21 here. You could go to jail for it.

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  11. That's pretty sweet that you guys do that. Its seems like lots of fun to be involved in some of these activities. It also sounds like you guy get in alot of trouble.

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  12. That's amazing!! To bad the drinking age in the US is 21 :(. I can only imagine me and my friends going on a "Russ". :). Wow what an adventure that would be Merica'

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  13. That is a lot different than traditions in the United States. Drinking while in high school is seriously frowned upon. It seems really fun.

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  14. We cannot drink until we are out of high school and 21 years old. Those traditions would not happen here. My parents would never let me go.

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  15. That is very different from our high school graduations. We do not travel around the country or get drunk. We have a graduation ceremony at school and our families throw individual small family parties to celebrate.

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  16. This article surprises me because you are kicked out of high school before the legal drinking age where we live. I am also surprised that adults encourage it because people could get hurt. Although some of the activities seem fun, the tradition seems like it would be crazy anywhere you go.

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  17. Who drives the bus? Is the driver drinking and partying too? What are your country's laws on drinking and driving? Here in the US if you are caught drinking and driving then you go to jail. After you get out of jail you lose your drivers license for 1-2 years.

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  18. What happens if you are caught drinking if you are under 18?

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    1. In Norway you only have to be 18 years old to drink, and they do this when they are 19, so it is legal.

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  19. How long has this tradition been going on? Is it only students? Do most kids participate?

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    1. I don't really know how long it has been going on, but my parents did it ( but it wasn't as wild back then)

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