Scandinavia and the World Characters' Childhood

Sweden's Quiet Struggle

It was a warm afternoon in late October, and Sweden's high school was buzzing with the usual end-of-quarter excitement. The results of their academic performance for the first quarter were about to be announced. Students were whispering nervously to one another, some confident, others anxious. Sweden sat at his desk, feeling a familiar knot in his stomach. He had always performed well academically, especially in elementary school, where he consistently earned over 95 in the first quarter. High school, however, felt different—more competitive, more demanding.

Ms. Sandvik, their homeroom and English teacher, stood at the front of the room with a stack of papers. She smiled at the students as she prepared to announce their rankings.

“Alright, everyone, I know you’ve been waiting for this,” she said, her voice calm and steady. “I’ll be announcing the top students for this quarter. Remember, it’s not about comparing yourselves to others but celebrating your hard work.”

Sweden took a deep breath, already feeling the weight of expectation. He had studied diligently, but he couldn’t shake the fear that maybe this time, his best wouldn’t be good enough.

Ms. Sandvik began reading out the names, and with each one, Sweden felt his heart race a little faster.

“And in first place,” Ms. Sandvik said, pausing dramatically, “with an average of 95, Sister America!”

The room erupted into applause as Sister America beamed with pride, her joy evident in her wide smile. Sweden's heart sank slightly. He had been accustomed to being the top student in the first quarter during his elementary years, and seeing someone else in that position brought an uncomfortable feeling of inadequacy.

“And in second place, with an average of 94,” Ms. Sandvik continued, “Sweden!”

The class clapped again, but Sweden couldn’t bring himself to smile. He had done well—he was second—but it didn’t feel good enough. 94 was lower than he had hoped. He had always been over 95 before, and now he wasn’t. The familiar feeling of disappointment crept over him, wrapping around his thoughts like a fog.

After the announcements, the students started gathering their things to go home. Sweden moved a bit slower than usual, still processing the results. His friends congratulated him as they passed, but he only nodded politely, his mind elsewhere.

“Hey, Sweden!” called Norway, who was passing by. “Great job! Second place is still amazing!”

“Thanks,” Sweden replied, forcing a smile. “I just… thought I could do better.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Norway said, nudging him playfully. “There’s always next quarter!”

Sweden nodded but felt the knot in his stomach tighten.

---

The walk home felt longer than usual, even though the weather was pleasant. When Sweden finally reached his house, his grandmother was waiting for him on the porch, knitting in her favorite chair. She smiled warmly when she saw him approach.

“Sweden, welcome home!” she greeted him cheerfully. “How was school today?”

Sweden forced a smile, his bag feeling heavier than it should. “It was fine, Grandma,” he said, trying to sound casual.

His grandmother beamed. “Did they announce your grades today? How did you do?”

Sweden hesitated, not wanting to seem ungrateful or disrespectful. “I ranked second,” he said quietly.

His grandmother’s face lit up with pride. “Second? Oh, Sweden, that’s wonderful! I’m so proud of you!”

But Sweden’s expression didn’t match her excitement. He wiped some sweat from his forehead. “Yeah… it was pretty hot outside, though. I should go change.”