The nations in Uppsala have a long history, each created by the students from the same provinces, who gathered to keep in touch with friends and provide services such as return trip back home in the summer. Östgöta Nation, or ÖG as it is known locally, is one of the oldest nations and although it is difficult to tell precisely how old the nations are, we attribute the 8th of November in 1646 as the ÖG founding date since this was when the first constitution was adopted. At that time the nation, of course, was very different, for example was one of its main functions to arrange funerals for members who died during their period at the university.

For centuries Östgöta Nation has been through a very long journey, from being an intolerable pain for the university, to become an essential part in the academic life of Uppsala. One thing is constant: The nation continues after more than 350 years to be a central part of a student’s life in this city, now also for those who are not born in Östergötland.