Week 4 – Task 12 – Creative Finale

[Rose Dove]

You feel that you and your friends have done enough reflecting and discussing and debating. You suggest a change in activity. Yes, you are loving the new year as you do every year. But now it is time to move on with the year as usual. You are already getting into the normal rhythm of the Hogwarts lifestyle and know that the year is going to fly by so fast as it does every year. Having a moment to slowly remember the hang of things has been nice. It is always a bit of a shock to return to school but it wears off quickly.

You decide that you want to make a memento of this new school year’s beginning. It was a bit more hectic than normal and you are already forgetting some of your experiences thus far. Your friends agree that this year has been more chaotic than normal so far. You all sit down together to sort out what you remember and compare experiences.

Task: Write a poem or some song lyrics in 100 words or more about the feeling of going back to school and everything that means to you. It can be about your real life school or Hogwarts or HOL.

Alternatively, you can write in 150 words or more about your back to school experiences. If your teachers are nice or mean, which of your classes makes school worth coming back to, which of your friends you are looking forward to spending time with the most.

This task is worth 10 beans, with 15 additional beans available if all Week Four activities are completed. Everything is due by 11:59 pm HOL time on September 30th.

[Galena May]

Hogwarts is the place to be,
The castle sets my mind free,
Creativity and inspiration sparks,
This is a song for the larks.
The Dueling and Debate clubs send fireworks into the sky,
Thestrals carry us to our beloved school, overhead owls fly.
Newcomers are initiated by a hat,
For ages in its bosom, a shining sword sat.
The house tables and the High Table is where the social minds are at.
Food appears of its own accord, and leftovers vanish, its fun.
To avoid getting late by a trick staircase, way before time we run.
Hogwarts brings joy and fun,
and magic at its best.
At the end of a long day,
In luxurious dorms we rest.
Wizarding games like gobstones and wizard's chess keep us busy.
Quidditch players and cheerers, though, never take it easy.
For the pranksters, we have a poltergeist named Peevesy.
Annoying yet adorable, but he makes me go a bit queasy.
Ghosts in the corridors,
In the forests, centaurs, beings of lore.
Mermaids in the Black Lake,
And the Giant Squid of yore.

[River Fenwick]

Finally, a new year at last,
Here at Hogwarts, the time goes by so fast!
It's that time again, students gathering in the Great Hall,
First Years await their sorting; maybe we'll even see a hatstall!
Once joining a House, friends will ensue,
If this isn't your first year here, you'll gain more too!
Thinking into the future and what lies ahead,
There are so many classes to look forward to or even dread!
Potions, Transfiguration, and many more to name,
So much to do, and don't forget about all the games!
Gobstones, Wizard's Chess, and Quidditch galore,
Showing off our pride for Hogwarts at its core!

[Luna Ravenlong]

I’m really enjoying my first term at Hogwarts, both staff and other students have been very friendly. I’m really enjoying all my new classes, and like the mixture of different assignment option you get-though some are trickier than others! I like all of the options I’ve picked, but I’m especially enjoying Family Studies and DADA. It’s been great looking into all the House Common rooms and seeing what they have to offer, I’m particularly enjoying Debate Club and also Book Club-I’m looking forward to participating more in them. I’m also excited for Quidditch to start up, and cheering on the Ravenclaw team!

[Lex Green]

I've always really struggled with transitions, and starting a new academic year is one of the changes I found hardest throughout my real life school years. I used to get incredibly anxious & feel sick on the first day of any year, especially so on those when I was moving to a new school. As I've got older, it has got a lot easier, and now at college/university level, I'm generally okay - although I have now been at the same college for three years, and I'm not sure how I'll fare once I eventually (hopefully) move on to somewhere else. I've never really had a bad back to school experience though - nothing sticks out to me as a super negative! Now I'm only studying the stuff I really want to do, I also don't have any of the annoyance of having to come back to studies I don't care about - particularly this year, I mostly just felt excited to get back to it and ready to go!

[Janne Halla]

The train pulls in, I see the smoke rise,
A castle in the distance, magic in the skies.
I'm stepping back through these ancient halls,
Wands in hand, hear the magic call.

With every step, it’s like a dream,
The Sorting Hat, the Quidditch team.
Owl posts fly, and whispers fill the air,
It’s good to be back, there’s magic everywhere.

From the common rooms to the Great Hall feast,
I’ve missed the charms, the spells, the beasts.
The laughter echoes, the candles glow,
There’s no place like home, I know.

Back to Hogwarts, where the magic's alive,
Where the lessons we learn make our spirits rise.
With friends by my side, we’ll never fall apart,
'Cause Hogwarts is forever, it’s home in my heart.

[Adeline Morior]

Being back at school is a wonderful thing. There were so many hard choices I had to make when choosing which classes to take as the options were all very exciting. Completing classes is one of my utmost favourite things to do. Being able to catch up with friends, get new books and stationary and to settle into my dorm room was all exciting. I love the feeling when getting new things for school. It felt good to be able to pick up on all my duties and even sign up for new ones. With everything starting so well, I can see a good, exciting and busy term and year ahead. As always all the teachers have been wonderful and welcoming. I met a few new students and have catched up with some of the returning students. It feels good to be back as it does feel like home. And there is no place like home.

[Ellie Vernez]

Hogwarts is my home
It is the place to be,
Where I belong,
With friends and family.

Hogwarts is the place to be,
Were we can make memories.
It's so much fun,
I love it so much.

Hogwarts has so much to offer
Lots of different adventures
The land is big, with lots to explore,
I wonder what we'll find.

Hogwarts is full of knowledge
We can learn so much
From potions, to creatures,
It's got the lot.

We can make some new friends,
We can become efficient duelers,
Learn a new spell or two,
Or wip up some potions.

Hogwarts is the place to be,
You know it's true
How could it not be?
Hogwarts is the best.

You can play Quidditch,
Oh how much fun
Or maybe cheer from the stand
Either way it's a blast.

September 1st is so exciting
All aboard the hogwarts express
Find your seat, it won't be long.
It's finally time to go home.