A walk in Kungsträdgården

Last week I went out for a walk in the city centre. These Sunday strolls are something I usually do when I’m stressed and need something to calm my nerves. I put on my favorite podcast and went down along Sveavägen. After passing by a buzzing Sergels torg and countless people outside NK, I ended up at Kungsträdgården. There, something struck me. The cherry blossoms were about to bud. You could see the vibrating pink color which every April gives color to this little oasis in the middle of the city. I found myself staring for a minute or so, getting lost in my thoughts. Spring really is my favorite season. Then, the spell broke and I became aware of the surroundings. The visitors around me wore masks and I saw the signs that the Public Health Agency had put up.

Exactly a year ago, when the pandemic had just started, I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen for months. My friend and I bought some ice cream and sat by the pond. We chatted about everything from school to what we would do during the summer. As the restrictions came, many of us stayed home, choosing to restrict our social life to stop the spread of the virus. I think I’m speaking for all of us when I’m saying that it turned life upside down. The things we used to do together were replaced by Zoom calls. Soon enough, we adapted. However, I still dream of the old world, with parties, trips, and lectures in the Aula.

I continued my walk and soon enough I had left Kungsträdgården. The royal palace, the recently inaugurated golden bridge, and Götgatan. I thought of the year that had passed. What do you even do when life is prohibited? The answer for me and my friends was small dinners together. We would meet up, buy groceries and cook together. Afterward, we would put on a movie and just relax. Nothing easy to compare to Rotunda parties, but I guess it was the best we could do. I crossed Medborgarplatsen where my friend who usually hosted these dinners lived. The terraces were filled with people who took a chance to enjoy the lovely spring weather. I noticed that the podcast I was listening to ended. French indie-pop. That's what I would have in my ears for the rest of the walk.

I thought of the approaching summer. I wondered what it would be like. Will I be able to travel? Can I at least have picnics with my friends? Last summer, I spent the majority of my time with friends in parks. We played kubb together and I desperately worked on my tan. The same playlist with french music I had put on during our hangouts made me remember those days. Hopefully, this summer will be better.

Recently, the school announced it will reopen campus. Maybe, maybe, the Kåridor will soon be teeming with life. The sound of microwaves, the line to the Rotunda parties, and mingle in the Atrium. I can not help but think of the cherry blossoms in Kungsträdgården. Spring is here.

Markus Nilsson - President of the Tech Committee