Praxe

The subject I'll talk about is not a proper place, but an activity. An activity exclusive to Portugal and this because, this type of praxe (the ritual of initiation of new students), is not used in other countries.

It's about welcoming the new students. Better said, "baptize them" before them integrate the University.

It is not mandatory. Only those who want attend.

It's a hot topic in Portugal. But not in Aveiro. Only in other places. Here it's fun.

When the placements are published, we finally know which university we attend. Finally we have the answer which we've been waiting for all summer. In a mix of nervous and enthusiasm, more nervous because in reality we don't want to be far from our mother's cooking, there we go to the chosen city, or chosen by us. Mine, in case you didn't know yet, was Aveiro. Here I arrived. Come to the praxe, they told me. And I went. And I liked it. "Look at the floor", they told me. And I looked. "What is your sky? ", they asked me. "It's the ground! ", I replied. So many times I heard this.

They say praxe is integration. And in my opinion, it is. Several moments I spent next to my colleagues that I didn't know from anywhere and that, by chance, I started talking to and getting to know better. Stuff I did in the praxe, that never in life would I do if not for the praxe. And it felt good, it was somehow liberating. But in the praxe, all of this has a reason and a path.

When we arrive, everything is dark. No one talks, no one looks at us in the eye. After all, we are the lowest scum that the university has in that moment, in the praxis culture. And since we got in this university and have to stay, might aswell throw ourselves at the mud, perhaps we can reach the level of our superiors. I'm not making this up. I heard this speech when I arrived.

The first praxe arrives. They call our name. Now what? Me, alone, having to speak in front of all that black. It's like a cult. Those witch movies. But I speak. A nothern woman can't be quiet. With fear, I respond to what I'm told. Followed by laughs. I ask myself what's the meaning of all that. There's no logic in it. In a new university, new classes, new subjects. I need time to study and keep everything on track. For what reason would I waste my wednesday afternoons getting eggs thrown at my head? It's ridiculous, right? It is, but it was what I did. I went and got eggs thrown at my head all year. "It softens your hair", they said.

The following praxis came, and little change happened, except for the screaming. "It's integration, for your sake. "

Finally, change. The praxe called "Grande Aluvião".

This praxe, with the whole university, consists in a full day, doing basically nothing, listening to the tunas (student-composed singing groups) playing, the consel speaking, and at the end of the day, close to 11pm, we throw our shows into a small pile. 2000 students, which means 4000 shoes. And we can only leave when we find our shoes, unless we want to walk home. But the Grande Aluvião is much more important that just this. All freshmen, nicknamed aluviões, must contribute with food that are later handed out through social causes. Tons of food are gathered anually with this praxe.

From here on, things start to change. The praxis doers stop yelling as often. Which doesn't mean that they stop yelling with the anger that they had since they were born. But important moments arrive, such as the pick for boss and the baptism. The pick for the boss, named bestman in other universities, consists in chosing an older student that will guide us through or academic course. And the baptism, where there's a mass, and we are baptized with 1, 5kg of sugar mixed with water straight from the North Pole down our backs. And later, come the normal praxis, until April. Moment when there's a new baptism for those we weren't baptized previously. There is also, before April, the Mini-Aluvião and the Roncada, a smaller version of the Grande Aluvião, where the food gathering happens again. And after all this, the famous semana do enterro (burial week).

In this week, besides not sleeping, since in the burial no one sleeps, we also have to build a car. In the end of the week, we have the burial parade, where we are accepted and the praxe ends. There are no more eggs to the head. I can already use the traje (traditional student costume in Portugal). Was it worth it?

To me it was. I laughed a lot. I spent several moments that I still remember happily, and I'm already in the last day. They call it integration. Did I need the praxe to integrate? No. Did it help? Yes. The stuff I did in the praxe, I know that I'll probably never do again. Without having my personal integrity being desrespected, above all.

Now seriously. A lot of people want to end the praxe. I believe they are right. But I don't want them to end the praxe. And I also think I am right.

In all honesty, a lot has happened with the praxe that shouldn't have happened. A lot of people attend the praxe without knowing how to do it. Without respecting people.

There's good and bad. In everything. Not only in the praxe. Punish the bad and leave the good be. Or at least not bother us in Aveiro. If there's a conflict in whether to end the praxe or not, it's because people like it. Therefore, respect those who want to do it and those who don't. Be happy.