Eksamen

This commercial has been getting a lot of play here the past month or so.  Statoil is a state-run oil and gas company, and this campaign of theirs seems to exist soley to celebrate--not so much achievement, as simply putting yourself out there, and trying. 

I think it's wonderful.

I identify viscerally with each and every vingnette:

• The alarm going off as you stare sleepless and wide-eyed into the dark morning.

• The frantic last minute cramming on the bus.

• Line 'em up: pencils, pens, ruler, calculator. Oh God! What if your calculator runs out of batteries half-way through?

• Chew your bottom lip some more. That will help.

• And those cheerful, chattering, smug retirees come to hover and leer at you as you sweat. Bastards!

• You'll spend the next 4 to 5 hours flagging them down for more and more and ever more paper.  Why can't they just go ahead and give you at least 10 pages to begin with?  You know, and they know you're going to need it.  Carefree bastards!  

• You hope their sciatics are screaming by noon.

The message towards the end translates as: 

• There are many things worth cheering.  The desire to learn deserves perhaps the biggest applause.

• You tend to agree. Which is why you continue to put yourself through this.