{"id":6106,"date":"2019-06-12T18:18:30","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T18:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=6106"},"modified":"2019-06-12T18:18:30","modified_gmt":"2019-06-12T18:18:30","slug":"dutch-eindexamens-time-to-hang-up-the-schoolbag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/dutch-eindexamens-time-to-hang-up-the-schoolbag\/","title":{"rendered":"Dutch Eindexamens – Time to Hang Up The Schoolbag"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today is an important day for over 200.000 Dutch school kids. This afternoon, they will hear whether they have geslaagd<\/em> (graduated) or not – a big deal! It is accompanied by an interesting tradition…<\/p>\n

Hang de tas maar uit!<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Schooltas<\/em> and vlag <\/i>hung up – this student graduated! (Image by Kyon at Commons.wikimedia.org – public domain)<\/p><\/div>\n

It is traditional in the Netherlands to hang up your\u00a0schooltas\u00a0<\/em>(school bag) if you graduated. There has been quite some\u00a0regen\u00a0<\/em>(rain) today, so some of these bags may no longer be usable! I did the same when I graduated, and my bag had to suffer through rain as well, but – surprise, surprise – it is still in a good condition. Read here about my experience in a blog post from 2014.<\/a><\/p>\n

By hanging up the\u00a0schooltas<\/em>, you show to\u00a0buren\u00a0<\/em>(neighbors) that you graduated, and so they may come by to\u00a0feliciteren\u00a0<\/em>(congratulate) you! Others may also see the vlag<\/em> out, and know by the\u00a0schooltas\u00a0<\/em>that it is about graduation. This also kind of ties into the\u00a0herkomst\u00a0<\/em>(origin) of this odd\u00a0traditie\u00a0<\/em>(tradition).<\/p>\n

This tradition probably started out in the 1950s. Back then, the\u00a0vlag\u00a0<\/em>was only hung up for official celebrations, so in the beginning, hanging up the flag for something “mundane” like graduation was seen as disrespectful, especially towards the Royal house. As an answer, the\u00a0tas\u00a0<\/em>was added, to show that this is a celebration for getting through the\u00a0middelbare school\u00a0<\/em>(high school). Especially in the 1970s, when there was less heed for the royals, this tradition became normalized. And so, this tradition has only existed for a few decades.<\/p>\n

In case you are wondering: There is a vlaggeninstructie\u00a0<\/em>(flag instruction), on how and when to hang up the vlag<\/em>. While you are welcome to follow that\u00a0vlaggeninstructie<\/em>, you are free to do with the flag what you want to do. It is\u00a0verplicht\u00a0<\/em>(mandatory) only for\u00a0overheidsgebouwen\u00a0<\/em>(government buildings). In this sense, it is different from the US Flag Code that, while not enforced, carries a penalty if it is not followed.<\/p>\n

Wachten maar<\/em>…<\/strong><\/h2>\n