[mtlmtlmtlmtl]

The failed samnorsk reform did have a silver lining.

Around high school I figured out that because of it, a shocking amount of Nynorsk grammar was secretly optional and the Bokmål version was very often valid Nynorsk.

So I started just writing my essays in Bokmål and then fixing the errors in post, so to speak. Initially my teacher tried to fail me for this, but she lost that battle.

I vehemently hate Nynorsk, or at least the fact that it's supposed to be "equal" to bokmål. It was a neat idea and all, but I honestly think it should only be seen as an archaic language used for poetry and literature. And only taught to students who want to delve deeper into that, not forced onto you starting in 8th grade.

[mailund]

I used the same approach! I essentially had a list of everything I should search and replace in the document (e.g. search for singular nouns ending in -en and see if they should be replaced by -a), and all the weird quirks that I needed to pay special attention to. As soon I was finished writing in bokmål, I followed the steps to "transpile" the text into nynorsk! I was able to go from almost failing to getting a decent grade back in the days using this approach.

[hhjinks]

That's small time. Back in my day, like 15 years ago, there was an on-machine bokmål to nynorsk translation program, named Nyno31, if I remember correctly. It wasn't great, but it would secure you a C with zero effort. Teachers weren't in the know, so there was almost no risk of getting caught.

[mtlmtlmtlmtl]

Wow, I had no idea about that.

[unixhero]

Nynorsk kept me away from becoming a fighter pilot

[mtlmtlmtlmtl]

That makes me so angry. The Norwegian school system is so, so inflexible and it ruins many lives each year.

For me, the reason I was never allowed to set foot in a university was German, PE, and Norwegian literature. I was suffering from severe health issues and I didn't have the energy to do all the subjects I had no interest in. So I poured my focus into the subjects I enjoyed and/or were relevant to my future plans(biology, calc, English, physics, history). I generally nailed those subjects. But because I failed German, and almost never showed up for PE, I was denied the opportunity to follow my dream and study biology.

Part of the problem is also the very inflexible admission requirements for Norwegian universities.

[unixhero]

You could always apply for a programme Bsc and or Msc in Biology at a university in Australia. There are even agents throughout Europe who set you up with a proper application and assist in this. They get a kickback when you are admitted.

Hard sciences degrees were really hard to get into in Norway too. Some times the best way to win is by not playing their game.

[mtlmtlmtlmtl]

That's probably the way to go, yeah. But that was never an option for me economically. But absolutely, if anyone reading this is a Norwegian teenager in a similar situation to mine, the above is excellent advice if you have the means.

I am however lucky in that I taught myself programming since I was 14, so by the time they kicked me out of HS, I was capable of doing it professionally. But it took me years of networking to get to the point of even getting interviews for such jobs without having a HS degree. I did eventually get to where I can find somewhat intellectually rewarding work for a few months a year, when I'm healthy enough to do so. Whenever I try to do more I always crash and burn, so now I just try to work little as possible to stay sane.

[emj]

Education seems a bit more flexible in Sweden, i.e. I failed my third modern language but still managed to get in to uni by taking other courses. Over all I think you describe the tribulations of us all even if we manage to do all the hoops through uni. I worked during high school and military service, but looking back I was not really ready for it.