How I have Served the School
1. How active are you in HOL?
I have been consistently active since starting at this school back in 2013. Academically, I have always taken - and passed - the maximum number of classes allowed per term since starting out here. Outside of classes, my most important extracurricular activity has always been Quidditch: within five days of joining HOL I found my way to my house's Quidditch team. Besides Quidditch, I've always loved flying around the campus in general (and yes, I'm aware some people prefer to use the cryptic letter sequence "mIRC" to denote flying). Even on the ground, though, I've tried to make myself known - from my own common room to plenty of activities going on elsewhere in the school!
2. How are you currently helping your house succeed?
As a contributing member, I'm helping my house succeed through the points I earn (I've earned between 3200 and 3600 points every year at Hogwarts so far) and the flying skills I've developed on the Quidditch pitch. However, I've also taken on some leadership roles in my house: from Prefect (where I help lead the Silver Team to victory, as well as making newer members of my house feel welcomed) to a Quidditch Captain position (on the pitch, I like to think the results speak for themselves).
3. Outside of your House, what have you done, and/or are currently doing to help HOL succeed?
The most transparent ways I've helped my house succeed is through the official positions I've had: namely, my role on the Quidditch Board - where I help make sure the sport goes smoothly so that others can enjoy the Quidditch pitch as much as I have... as well as the classes I've been assisting over the past few years (I'm currently assisting Ancient Civilizations). However, I've been known to perform other "duties as needed" behind the scenes such as checking puzzles for consistency/fun/solvability... and hanging out in the air to help welcome newcomers!
4. What are your plans to help both your House and HOL in the future?
I know that I have about three years left as a student here, and I plan on making the most of those years. I plan on helping my house by being an exemplary Slytherin Student and Prefect while I can; both serving as a role model and making newer members to the house (and community) feel welcome. After graduation (with three OWLs behind me already, graduation is finally in sight), I'll step up to become a professor... and maybe take on even more of a leadership role in house! As for the community as a whole? I think the best I can do for the community at the moment is more of the same of what I've already been doing: both in terms of being a role model and in terms of encouraging the newer members of the school. Next year, once most of my OWLs are behind me, I'll probably teach my first class - and I already have an idea of the subject...
5. What is one way you think HOL could improve?
I think that the school could improve its onboarding process for students starting out here. I only remember one significant change to onboarding since I started: my entering class of Fall 2013 was the last entering class that had to deal with a narrow enrollment window (when Spring 2014 started, so did open enrollment - which meant anyone could enroll at any time). While open enrollment makes the school more accessible, it means that newer students no longer have a cohort of other students entering at about the same time as them (which might take away from the feeling of camaraderie). I'd also say that the Sorting procedure here feels a bit random; when people are Sorted incorrectly, they tend to feel like outsiders in their own house. Even though most of us eventually find our 'right' house, having to struggle against a Sorting is not a problem anyone should have to deal with!
6. Are there parts of HOL you have no interest in? Why?
Lestranges have never been artistically inclined (at least one distant ancestor has viewed art as an exclusively Muggle pursuit), and I am no exception. Therefore, I have never found myself comfortable in the areas in the school that focused on arts and crafts as opposed to thinking, writing, flying, or dueling. Also, I find myself spending less time in the parts of the school where one's work cannot earn house points (given a choice: when I'm spending time here, I'd rather have the points to show for my work than not). That said, I feel comfortable in my common room even if I can't get points from the Dungeons... but that fact often means I need to spend time away from there! Finally, I've never really had an inclination for working on newspaper articles; that said, I've always enjoyed reading the newspapers of all four houses - even before I enrolled here!
I have been consistently active since starting at this school back in 2013. Academically, I have always taken - and passed - the maximum number of classes allowed per term since starting out here. Outside of classes, my most important extracurricular activity has always been Quidditch: within five days of joining HOL I found my way to my house's Quidditch team. Besides Quidditch, I've always loved flying around the campus in general (and yes, I'm aware some people prefer to use the cryptic letter sequence "mIRC" to denote flying). Even on the ground, though, I've tried to make myself known - from my own common room to plenty of activities going on elsewhere in the school!
2. How are you currently helping your house succeed?
As a contributing member, I'm helping my house succeed through the points I earn (I've earned between 3200 and 3600 points every year at Hogwarts so far) and the flying skills I've developed on the Quidditch pitch. However, I've also taken on some leadership roles in my house: from Prefect (where I help lead the Silver Team to victory, as well as making newer members of my house feel welcomed) to a Quidditch Captain position (on the pitch, I like to think the results speak for themselves).
3. Outside of your House, what have you done, and/or are currently doing to help HOL succeed?
The most transparent ways I've helped my house succeed is through the official positions I've had: namely, my role on the Quidditch Board - where I help make sure the sport goes smoothly so that others can enjoy the Quidditch pitch as much as I have... as well as the classes I've been assisting over the past few years (I'm currently assisting Ancient Civilizations). However, I've been known to perform other "duties as needed" behind the scenes such as checking puzzles for consistency/fun/solvability... and hanging out in the air to help welcome newcomers!
4. What are your plans to help both your House and HOL in the future?
I know that I have about three years left as a student here, and I plan on making the most of those years. I plan on helping my house by being an exemplary Slytherin Student and Prefect while I can; both serving as a role model and making newer members to the house (and community) feel welcome. After graduation (with three OWLs behind me already, graduation is finally in sight), I'll step up to become a professor... and maybe take on even more of a leadership role in house! As for the community as a whole? I think the best I can do for the community at the moment is more of the same of what I've already been doing: both in terms of being a role model and in terms of encouraging the newer members of the school. Next year, once most of my OWLs are behind me, I'll probably teach my first class - and I already have an idea of the subject...
5. What is one way you think HOL could improve?
I think that the school could improve its onboarding process for students starting out here. I only remember one significant change to onboarding since I started: my entering class of Fall 2013 was the last entering class that had to deal with a narrow enrollment window (when Spring 2014 started, so did open enrollment - which meant anyone could enroll at any time). While open enrollment makes the school more accessible, it means that newer students no longer have a cohort of other students entering at about the same time as them (which might take away from the feeling of camaraderie). I'd also say that the Sorting procedure here feels a bit random; when people are Sorted incorrectly, they tend to feel like outsiders in their own house. Even though most of us eventually find our 'right' house, having to struggle against a Sorting is not a problem anyone should have to deal with!
6. Are there parts of HOL you have no interest in? Why?
Lestranges have never been artistically inclined (at least one distant ancestor has viewed art as an exclusively Muggle pursuit), and I am no exception. Therefore, I have never found myself comfortable in the areas in the school that focused on arts and crafts as opposed to thinking, writing, flying, or dueling. Also, I find myself spending less time in the parts of the school where one's work cannot earn house points (given a choice: when I'm spending time here, I'd rather have the points to show for my work than not). That said, I feel comfortable in my common room even if I can't get points from the Dungeons... but that fact often means I need to spend time away from there! Finally, I've never really had an inclination for working on newspaper articles; that said, I've always enjoyed reading the newspapers of all four houses - even before I enrolled here!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which Harry Potter character do you relate to the most, and why?
I'm assuming that "Harry Potter" means Scarhead because it's apparently the name of the Boy-Who-Lived, right? I don't think I identify with him at all; although every once in a while he came up with a nice sneaky paln worthy of a Slytherin, most of the time he actively disowns that part of himself!
But assuming that by "Harry Potter character" you actually mean "any witch or wizard", I'd have to go with my distant cousin Regulus Black. Like me, Regulus entered Hogwarts as a Slytherin, with high expectations for himself based on his blood and heritage. Like me, he had to struggle to make a name for himself at first because he was overshadowed in his younger years (though at least I wasn't overshadowed by my own family). But he ensured that he always was his own person and not some puppet of someone else; defying Voldemort (on behalf of Kreacher, no less) and ultimately changing the tide of a major Wizarding War!
Granted, Regulus managed to end his own life when he was only about two years older than my current age. I can't imagine myself doing the same in today's world, but in an environment as turbulent as 1979, from the First Voldemort War, I have to say that desperate times call for desperate measures!
2. Where is your favorite place in HOL, and why?
My favorite place in this school is the air; not just the Quidditch pitch, but everywhere I can mount my broom and fly. If you know me, chances are that the last time you saw me, we were both airborne, flying about on our brooms. The feeling of being in the air and moving about is completely liberating. I could talk about my experiences on the pitch, but I'm thinking more about freeform flying just outside the castle. There, we're all free from pressure of studying, practicing, and even things such as House identity; in the air, we all can be free to be our true selves! I would go as far as to say that you don't really know someone until you've spent some time on a broom with them. (NOTE: I know that some people refer to flying in the open air by the cryptic sequence of letters "mIRC", and brooms will often be referred to as "computers". )
3. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages to ambition?
I don't think of ambition in terms of 'advantage' or 'disadvantage'; to me, ambition just is: it's what keeps us going. Come to think of it, that might really be the main advantage of ambition: it's that force that keeps us going and spurs us on to make more of ourselves and the world around of us. Without ambition, things would - at best - stay where they are... and at worst, stagnate as people gradually forget the lessons learned from past generations without adding anything new to society!
The biggest disadvantage of ambition is that if one doesn't keep it grounded with reality (and personal principles), ambition can easily take you over: burning you out at best (thiink of Hermione Granger taking 12 classes her third year, for example) and, at worst, consuming yourself and destroying other parts of our world/society/whatever we value! When I think of ambition gone wrong, I think of Voldemort and his Horcruxes; his goal was reasonable enough - but his way to get there is what made him a Dark Lord.
4. What is the most important lesson you have learned in life?
The most important thing I have learned during my life is that while asking for help is not a sign of weakness, I should feel free to disregard advice that doesn't work for me. It would be too easy to talk about my progress on the Quidditch pitch over the years (I felt like I really started finding my groove when I came up with my own goals and my own ways to work towards them instead of just following the advice of others)... but thsi could just as easily apply to the way I've made it through my full class schedule each year - up to and including a particularly challenging OWL year! And even though only a few years separate me from graduation, I'll keep this advice in mind (asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but being wedded to the help you receive is) as I seek to continue making a difference both in my house and in the broader school and world!
5. If you can't be Mx HOL, who do you think should, and why?
I'd say that Mx HOL really should represent the entire school, and not just a single faction (like a house, group of friends, or even a single club or activity here). Therefore, I'd say that if I couldn''t win, I'd choose to give the honor to the current Headmaster Zoki Phantom. For nearly as long as I've been in the school, Zoki served the school faithfully as Headmaster - though my first experience with him was just before that... when I took a Herbology class taught by him. I also remember working alongside Zoki during my first position of responsibility here, when I sat alongside him as we were part of the team tasked with running the Summer Quidditch League of 2015. His ability to step outside of his comfort zone strikes me as a quality worthy of Mx HOL.
6. If you were a fruit, what would you be and why?
If I were a fruit, I would probably be a blackberry. I almost chose some type of raspberry (which is, to be fair, tastier by itself), but I feel that the blackberry better represents me. First,, its taste is a bit tarter (and therefore requires a bit more effort to fully appreciate its flavor; this is often done by baking it into pies or other desserts). Also, it's larger and shinier - which I can think of as "putting on an eye-catching first impression". Finally, it shares a weakness with me: it is uncomfortable in cold environments (personally, I strongly prefer warmth and heat to cold and ice). Putting this together, the blackberry probably makes the most sense for me.
I'm assuming that "Harry Potter" means Scarhead because it's apparently the name of the Boy-Who-Lived, right? I don't think I identify with him at all; although every once in a while he came up with a nice sneaky paln worthy of a Slytherin, most of the time he actively disowns that part of himself!
But assuming that by "Harry Potter character" you actually mean "any witch or wizard", I'd have to go with my distant cousin Regulus Black. Like me, Regulus entered Hogwarts as a Slytherin, with high expectations for himself based on his blood and heritage. Like me, he had to struggle to make a name for himself at first because he was overshadowed in his younger years (though at least I wasn't overshadowed by my own family). But he ensured that he always was his own person and not some puppet of someone else; defying Voldemort (on behalf of Kreacher, no less) and ultimately changing the tide of a major Wizarding War!
Granted, Regulus managed to end his own life when he was only about two years older than my current age. I can't imagine myself doing the same in today's world, but in an environment as turbulent as 1979, from the First Voldemort War, I have to say that desperate times call for desperate measures!
2. Where is your favorite place in HOL, and why?
My favorite place in this school is the air; not just the Quidditch pitch, but everywhere I can mount my broom and fly. If you know me, chances are that the last time you saw me, we were both airborne, flying about on our brooms. The feeling of being in the air and moving about is completely liberating. I could talk about my experiences on the pitch, but I'm thinking more about freeform flying just outside the castle. There, we're all free from pressure of studying, practicing, and even things such as House identity; in the air, we all can be free to be our true selves! I would go as far as to say that you don't really know someone until you've spent some time on a broom with them. (NOTE: I know that some people refer to flying in the open air by the cryptic sequence of letters "mIRC", and brooms will often be referred to as "computers". )
3. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages to ambition?
I don't think of ambition in terms of 'advantage' or 'disadvantage'; to me, ambition just is: it's what keeps us going. Come to think of it, that might really be the main advantage of ambition: it's that force that keeps us going and spurs us on to make more of ourselves and the world around of us. Without ambition, things would - at best - stay where they are... and at worst, stagnate as people gradually forget the lessons learned from past generations without adding anything new to society!
The biggest disadvantage of ambition is that if one doesn't keep it grounded with reality (and personal principles), ambition can easily take you over: burning you out at best (thiink of Hermione Granger taking 12 classes her third year, for example) and, at worst, consuming yourself and destroying other parts of our world/society/whatever we value! When I think of ambition gone wrong, I think of Voldemort and his Horcruxes; his goal was reasonable enough - but his way to get there is what made him a Dark Lord.
4. What is the most important lesson you have learned in life?
The most important thing I have learned during my life is that while asking for help is not a sign of weakness, I should feel free to disregard advice that doesn't work for me. It would be too easy to talk about my progress on the Quidditch pitch over the years (I felt like I really started finding my groove when I came up with my own goals and my own ways to work towards them instead of just following the advice of others)... but thsi could just as easily apply to the way I've made it through my full class schedule each year - up to and including a particularly challenging OWL year! And even though only a few years separate me from graduation, I'll keep this advice in mind (asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but being wedded to the help you receive is) as I seek to continue making a difference both in my house and in the broader school and world!
5. If you can't be Mx HOL, who do you think should, and why?
I'd say that Mx HOL really should represent the entire school, and not just a single faction (like a house, group of friends, or even a single club or activity here). Therefore, I'd say that if I couldn''t win, I'd choose to give the honor to the current Headmaster Zoki Phantom. For nearly as long as I've been in the school, Zoki served the school faithfully as Headmaster - though my first experience with him was just before that... when I took a Herbology class taught by him. I also remember working alongside Zoki during my first position of responsibility here, when I sat alongside him as we were part of the team tasked with running the Summer Quidditch League of 2015. His ability to step outside of his comfort zone strikes me as a quality worthy of Mx HOL.
6. If you were a fruit, what would you be and why?
If I were a fruit, I would probably be a blackberry. I almost chose some type of raspberry (which is, to be fair, tastier by itself), but I feel that the blackberry better represents me. First,, its taste is a bit tarter (and therefore requires a bit more effort to fully appreciate its flavor; this is often done by baking it into pies or other desserts). Also, it's larger and shinier - which I can think of as "putting on an eye-catching first impression". Finally, it shares a weakness with me: it is uncomfortable in cold environments (personally, I strongly prefer warmth and heat to cold and ice). Putting this together, the blackberry probably makes the most sense for me.