Bulgaria celebrating Students Day today

Following our blog’s tradition of presenting typically Bulgarian holidays (among others, internationally known) to our foreign readers, today’s post is dedicated to Dec 8th – Bulgarian Students’ Day. Having had celebrated this day myself for 5 years back in my University days, I couldn’t help but write a line or two today about this vibrant and joyous Bulgarian Holiday. Today’s date is just such a sweet flashback to a brimming with sentimental value time in my life…a time that I cherish some of my fondest memories from! (just like many other students do, I am sure – I mean, haven’t we all heard our parents/grandparents wistfully saying how they wish they could go back to those wonderful carefree student times again?…Yes, we have.)
December 8th has been celebrated since 1903 in Bulgaria. As of 1944, Dec 8th was replaced by Nov 17th – the day when International Students Day is celebrated, but it got reinstated in 1962 and remains so to date.
Every year on 8th Dec all Bulgarian university/college students celebrate Students’day – and celebrations, more often than not, would last for 2-3 days, usually including the day before and the day after the 8th, mostly depending on whether the days before/after the 8th fall on days off like Sat or Sun. The 8th itself is a non-attendance day for all higher education students in Bulgaria, but not the days before and/or after.
Celebrations last longer mainly due to the tradition of Bulgarian students travelling to other cities/ places of interest (usually in groups rather than individually), specifically for the purpose of celebrating their holiday. Most Bulgarian travel agencies, hotels, guest houses and other hospitality/entertainment establishments throughout the country would usually have 2 or 3-day special-offer packages for students.
Of course, depending mostly on financial capacities, not all students travel away to celebrate Students’ Day – some would stay and have an equally good time celebrating it at home with friends/fellow-students, or at local bars and/or restaurants.
Regardless of the location though, fun is guaranteed if you are up for it and have like-minded pals around you to get the party started – take it from a former student & avid party-goer!