I love the beginning of the school year when I get to sit back and watch the Newbies enter the Common Room. They always come in variety — some very eager to jump right in, take classes, talk about different topics, while others seem much more shy and are quiet point-earners or occasional quiet posters. No matter what type of Newbie they are, I love to meet them!

Who am I? I'm Belle Black — one of the first graduates of HOL so that makes me a Post Graduate. I have been here for seven — yes, seven — years, and am beginning my eighth. This year is my first year writing for the Wizarding Times. I thought it would be wise to give a Post Graduate perspective on all things HOL. Throughout the year, I plan on offering advice to the younger years, introduce you to some of my fellow graduates, maybe even let you in on a couple of secrets to survive HOL and especially Hufflepuff.

This month, I plan to reflect a bit on the past seven years. What stands out the most for me are the friendships that I've made along the way. I never thought seven years ago that the day would actually come when I would graduate. It seemed so far away. It also never occurred to me that I would consider people I met online to be friends. This was a new concept to me — How could someone have friends online? Not real people that you meet face to face, but words on a screen — How do they become friends? I never thought I would be here seven years later for sure! I thought HOL was just something I would do for fun for a bit and then, eventually, I would slip away because real life had to take over soon. Right?

Well, to answer my questions, words on a screen CAN become friends. It may start out with posting in a topic every once in awhile and then getter braver and maybe speaking up in the chat room. Discussing similarities and differences will open your eyes up to new cultures, customs, and people. You may see the same people over and over again because of time zones and these people may become your group of friends. Friends — not just words on a screen — because you get to recognize the screen names and the different personalities that are out there and you start to form bonds with each other. As for real life getting in the way — yes, unfortunately, sometimes it does. Real life comes first and sometimes it can't be avoided. Real life doesn't necessarily need to be something bad either — I've gotten my masters, gotten married, moved out of my parents' house, and am now expecting my first child in the seven years that I've been here. Sometimes real life took me away for a bit, but I always missed HOL and my friends, and I always wanted to return. I wanted to share my good news with my friends!

Which newbie was I? Believe it or not, I was a shy one. I sat in IRC for about a month without saying a word — Felicia actually scared me at first. I rarely posted in the Sett for fear of spamming and losing points. I only took one class because I didn’t want to be overburdened just in case I couldn't handle the coursework. Eventually, #hufflepuff became one of my night-time hangouts where I could just relax and chat and get to know other Huffs. I got involved in RPGs in the Sett and went on entertaining adventures with my fellow Huffs. I started taking a full schedule so I could help my house win the House Cup which we've won the past five years in a row!

I guess what I'm trying to say this month is make the most of your time here at HOL. Seven years go by very quickly, so get involved in as much as you can and chat, chat, chat! You'll meet great people and make friendships that will last a long time. And don't worry, after graduation you can still hang around indefinitely as a Post Graduate. You'll always be welcome at HOL and especially in Hufflepuff House.