For decades, Sweden’s liquor stores were few and far. They closed by 6 on weekdays and never opened on weekends. Choice was limited and prices high. Bottles were displayed inside glass cases. Customers took numbers - and waited.
These measures were imposed to discourage the consumption of alcohol in a nation with a tradition of drinking to the point of drunkenness and a history of abuse going back to the miseries of 19th-century industrialization, when cheap liquor led to widespread abuse.

But piece by piece, Sweden is the motherland of rules not only regarding alcohol and anti-alcohol policies. Actually these rules and policies violate the European Union’s rules of fair competition. These kind of measures, rules, limitations I found not only within alcohol industry.

During my 2 weeks in Sverige I concluded that Sweets… sorry Swedes :oops: have many rules, too many - and maybe this is good in order to have a high level of living, respect in the society and bla bla bla.

Strange rules, restrictions and prohibition signs are everywhere, in front of the school, kindergarten, night clubs, below my bed, in front of my door and even in front of McDonald’s (which is supposed to represent the place of all possibilities) :

No Alcohol

Alcohol SSE

Restriction measures as it was expected are also in the clubs, more explicitly in front of the clubs, because we didn’t get the chance to visit many of them. It’s difficult to say why they do this (bodyguards usually don’t allow exchange students inside), maybe because we don’t “Pratar/talar Svenska”, or maybe we are not too blond. On thing is clear, exchange students make a lot of troubles and the bodyguards represent some 0,0134 % of the total population, so it’s OK to have some black sheep in the country :lol: .

Restriction measures are not only in front of school, you can find them also inside … the Stockholm School of Economics and inside its system.
I will just state few examination rules at SSE:

You must take the seat assigned to you!

Please note that if you are not registered for the course you will not be allowed to take the exam.

It is not permitted to re-sit an exam that you have already passed.

Only students with a valid identity document have the right to enter the examination hall and take the exam.

Students without proper identification are advised to register for the next scheduled examination.

A student who fails to provide proper identification, but somehow manages to write the exam, will not receive a grade for that exam.

Taking an exam without proper identification papers is considered a used exam opportunity and will be registered as a Fail.

A valid identity document is: Driver’s license, Passport, Student ID from your home - no relatives ID :!:

You can be up to 30 minutes late for the exam and still be let in. However, no one is allowed to leave the examination hall earlier than 30 minutes after the start of the exam.

Toilet visits are allowed, but only after the first 30 minutes.

You are NOT allowed to walk out to buy food and drink from the cafeteria during the exam.

Bags, handbags and cases are allowed into the examination halls, but they have to be placed within an assigned area.

You may not bring the following equipment into the exam hall or when you use the bathroom: mobile phone (keep it switched off and in your bag or where the invigilator asks you to put it, alternatively you leave it at home), minicall, handheld, Mp3-players/walkman, agenda.

You must stop writing when the invigilator announces that the writing time is over. A student who continues to write despite of the invigilators request will not get his/her exam marked.

Calculators may be permitted, however just only one type : Casio FX- 82S :shock: : (good business for Casio)

Calculator