June 7, 2017 marked the beginning of the year twelve graduation. As traditionally done, the year eleven students managed, as best as they could, the utspring lunch. This included setting up, decorating, serving and cleaning. After the tables had been set with streamers and flowers, the year twelves came in to enjoy their final lunch at SIS. We, the year elevens, served them toastskagen and salmon, followed by tiramisu.

After they had eaten, some of the graduating students gave small speeches to their fellow classmates and the teachers who had joined them at the lunch. They were, for the most part, filled with thanks and a bit of sadness — it is, after all, the end of an era for them. After the students’ speeches, Ms. Öman presented a slide show of the class trip and some photos taken throughout the year as well.

Following the year 12 lunch, the students embarked on the  Swedish tradition of dancing on a the back of dirty truck in the rain while spraying even more water at each other. The graduates enjoyed this, clearly, as it marked the end of a long and laborious two-year period in the Diploma Program. So, the truck drove away, the original poster saying “IB= Intellectual Bullshit”  hanging off the side. As the 12th graders and their carefree and high spirits disappeared, the 11th graders were left with a feeling of sorrow and envy. Another year awaits the 11th graders, and another year awaits the Quirky Quibbler.

We will be posting a couple of reviews during the summer so keep up to date with the QQ, and don’t forget to subscribe. Have a lovely summer holiday and stay tuned.

And here are the graduating students’ speeches from today’s ceremony:

Raphaelle S.

Hello everyone and welcome to our final day of the 2016-2017 school year, and the 12th graders’ official last day of high school.

My name is Raphaelle, but most of you probably know me as Elle and following me will be Aaron. I’d firstly like to thank you for allowing me to speak on this occasion, as it represents the closure of the first chapter in our lives and the beginning of the next.

I’d also like to reference a common saying about life:

The human brain starts working once we’re born, which is a topic we painfully explored in biology, and it stops working once we stand up to give a speech. Although this is to some extent true, I feel like I’ve just given a two year long speech .

What’s great about finishing though is that I never have to remember the structure of phospholipid bilayers, memorise all logarithmic and vector shortcuts or the 27 psychological studies I had to memorise to a T.

All I have to remember now is the fun I’ve had with the incredible people that I’ve met at this school. Although the Diploma Program has most definitely been challenging, this school and the people in it have prepared me for the real world, given me endless opportunities and strong friendships.

It saddens me to say goodbye to the people I’ve grown so close to these past two years, that have watched me fail and succeed, and have seen me become the person I am today. But thanks to social media and constant travel I know that we will remain close no matter what path we decide to follow in the world.

Aaron L.

Dear teachers, students, and parents.

It is an honour to be able to finally speak as a graduating student of SIS 2017. For many students this ceremony might be your first, second, or fifth time listening, but I’ve seen it 11 times. Several which I don’t remember. I’ve known more than a dozen different teachers which I still see around SIS from time to time. They bring a smile and often flashbacks that remind me of the great years we spent together.

Spending two years with these people has been an exhausting and challenging ride. As Elle mentioned the IB doesn’t just push knowledge into our minds and expect us to write it on a day of testing. There’s the aim to raise us to be prepared for the real world which I believe it certainly has. Beyond all the joy I’ve experienced since finishing the exams it also hurts knowing that most of my friends will be separating to different parts of the world. To the graduating class of 2017 and to everyone else. Keep in touch and don’t lose contact as a moment like this only happens once and will be something we can discuss in the near future. Once again a big thank you to all of the teachers who have supported and pushed us to succeed, and to everyone else have a happy summer holiday!