College is a magical place like the beautiful school that J.K. Rowling imagined for Harry Potter and his peers. There are some notable differences between our colleges and Hogwarts; for example, colleges rarely allow pets in the dorms, yet this prestigious school of Witchcraft and Wizardry encourages it! (Colleges, take note, and let me bring my dog to school with me). Despite these contrasts though, our universities share some pretty significant commonalities with the school we all wish that we’d been accepted to in the first place.
1. You get an acceptance letter...if you’re lucky.
I think we can all remember waiting for our acceptance letter to college like it was yesterday because that stressfully traumatic experience left an imprint on our fragile, high school hearts! But when it finally arrived, we clung to the letter, posted on Facebook to rub it in our friend’s faces, and started mentally preparing for the best four years of our lives. The only difference is, our’s weren’t delivered by owls, but I guess the mailman is cool too.
2. Shopping for school is expensive.
*Looking at textbook and spell book prices like*
3. The campus is just as beautiful when you first arrive as it is throughout the year.
Hogwarts is absolutely stunning, and if you’re lucky, so is the campus at the school that you attend.
4. The Sorting Hat is just as stressful as waiting for your roommate and hall assignment.
All summer we wait for an e-mail about who are roommate is and what are dormitory is going to be like. When we finally receive that e-mail, we cross our fingers and hope that we’re not put in facilities with Hufflepuff--like qualities. Awaiting that e-mail is like sitting on the stool, and the housing office is just like that Sorting Hat.
5. Quidditch = School Sports
Crowds at sporting events really do let school spirit get the best of them, and I think we can all agree that we like it that way. There’s nothing better than cheering for your favorite basketball player or that hot snitch seeker.
6. There are really great professors who care about you.
We’ve all had that one professor who has really inspired and fostered us, and we try to take their classes year after year until we convince them to be our advisor. Whether it’s Professor McGonagall or some random english teacher at your university, they exist in college and at Hogwarts.
7. There are also professors whose class you wish you never signed up for.
8. They get locked out of their dorm rooms too.
Forgot your keys? They forget the password, and it sucks to have to wait outside with a talking portrait just as much as it sucks to wait for your Resident Assistant or roommate to come let you in.
9. The cafeteria food is like Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans
You never really know what you’re going to get when you go to the cafeteria. Is tonight’s dinner going to good? Are they going to serve mystery meat again? It’s the same with these magical jelly beans! Watermelon? Buttery Popcorn? Earwax? You just never know with either because it’s a gamble.
10. Finding dates for the dance is difficult.
“I really hope Cedric Diggory asks me to the Yule Ball” -every girl waiting to be asked
11. Fifth-year students studying for the O.W.L.’s reminds you of studying for finals.
It’s good to know that even wizards stress about their exams. Transfiguration? Philosophy? It’s all difficult to learn, and knowing that witches share this struggle too is almost comforting.
12. Everyone of us has that Dracco Malfoy on campus who we’d like to make, “Eat slugs!”
At Hogwarts and at our colleges, there’s that one frat boy who annoys the hell out of
everyone. His family is rich; he’s ignorant and snobby; and he doesn’t respect muggle-borns. Obviously they don’t all become death eaters and try to kill the headmaster, but he’s annoying and rude enough that we’d all like to avoid him until we graduate.
13. On the weekend, Campus Security is just like the Dementors.
They might suck the fun out of things, but they’re there to protect you, just like those soul sucking creatures who guard the Prison of Askaban.
14. Prefects are Residence Assistants.
They’re not all pretentious, but often, they can be. Sneaking around them is difficult, but it is really nice when your friend becomes one. That way, you can get away with a lot more.
15. The principal of the school is famous.
Maybe this is just at my school, but everybody wants a picture with our school president. Likewise, Dumbledore is idolized; he’s even on the chocolate frog cards. Similarly, my university’s president is cool enough that he belongs on a trading card.
16. There are so many stairs!
17. They have to avoid people too after awkward situations
Gonna use that cloak of invisibility to avoid my ex or hookup
18. You meet your lifelong best friends
