Badgers' Take on HOL Classes
Classes are a very big part of our HOL life. Almost every one of us gets excited when the list of classes is up, when we are able to sign up and when we are able to do and send our homework and extra credits. I mean, we are learning while we are having fun, making classes a vital component of the whole of HOL. And as months pass by and we are having fun with the classes we picked, let's take a look at how HOLers, in this case badgers, pick and choose their classes.
All of us have different thoughts when choosing what subjects we'll take for five months. These thoughts may involve different factors based on our different tastes, interests, years in HOL and many other things that affect our decisions. Regarding this, I asked the badgers in a poll what classes they prefer to take. The options were canon classes, HP/magic related, non-HP/non-magic related and others. Here are some of the badgers' responses:
I picked HP/Magical related because since I have gone the Canon route already I feel I can branch out a bit now.
- Prof. Felicia Hartwick, Head of House
I picked canon classes since this is my first year I still want to take Charms, Potions, Transfiguration. Though I do like some of the other Magic Related classes such as Muggle Studies: Brit Telly. I signed up for that class because I recently fell in love with BBC. I like the combination of both canon classes and HP/Magic related classes because it offers more class variety.
- Lavender Emyrs, First Year
The classes I choose to take now are the ones that appeal to me the most. I've already taken many, or most, of the canon classes as well as those which are HP related.
Since I've taken quite a few already of the classes offered here — that helps to narrow the choices down a bit. Now I look at the classes as they are written, see if my computer (read ISP) can handle the assignments (if it cannot, that takes them off the list, even if they are awesome seeming classes), compare them to the other classes offered. Then choose. This year there were so many classes I wanted to join ... and I had to limit it to five. ^^
- Prof. Tarma Amelia Black, Professor
I chose OTHER as I have always liked all different types of classes. At the very very beginning I was a Canon class taker but I changed to taking all sorts of classes shortly after that.
I took Charms, Transfiguration, Care Of Magical Creatures, Astronomy and Ancient Runes in the beginning, but then I branched out to Wands Workshop, Mexican Mythology, Arts Appreciation, A Visit to Diagon Alley, Vampires, Fae Folk and Gothic Authors to name a few. I truly love the fact that HOL students can learn not just Canon classes but all sorts of wondering information that not even a muggle classroom could offer.
- Prof. Kath Snape, Professor
I like all sorts of classes, and I mostly choose what I find appealing rather than going with cannon classes. However, I voted for HP/Magic Related as I find myself enjoying those type of classes the most.
I take a lot of things in consideration when I choose classes, like the amount and type of work needed, how the class is set up and written, the topics discussed, who is teaching the class, etc. I simply do a lot of comparing and investigating before doing my list of 5 classes (though even then it ends up being -really- hard to choose just 5). I'm not a fan of the actual canon classes, but I love anything HP or magic-related so hence my choice for the poll.
- Zoki Phantom, Sixth Year
I chose other as well because I feel like there isn't really a pattern to the types of classes I take - it varies year to year.
What I take into consideration first and foremost is simply which topics interest me the most. I do this because I know that if I am not very interested I will not do the work. I try to take a minimum of 1 canon class a year as well because I would like to take them all but I think if I tried to do it all in one year I would get a bit bored: the HP books allow you to know a lot of the material already and I always like trying new things. I then take into consideration which classes I have confidence will return next term or next year and which I do not - ones I like that I think will poof for one reason or another become top priority.
I do take teachers into consideration (for example, I know that I usually enjoy Prof. Cassandra Lobiesk's classes because she does an astounding amount of research into topics I'm usually interested in, and I enjoy Prof. Gustavo Flores' classes because they usually have a lighthearted atmosphere and he's always a spirited and kind teacher, just to name a couple). I also try and make sure I pick up a couple new teachers each year as well so I can get a feel for their classes. Next I check out rules, assignments, due dates, etc. I LOVE classes that give you options as to which types of work you do to earn your points, and I generally prefer classes that have monthly due dates so that I don't procrastinate till the end of the year and then feel overwhelmed. I also must admit I am sometimes an award junkie >.>. If a class has shiny awards I can work towards then I am all in.
Recently I have become more realistic of my RL work load vs my HOL work load, so I think about how busy I expect to be and try and take a mix of difficult classes vs. "simpler" classes or classes with end of year due dates - if I know I will be busy I will only take 1 or 2 classes that require a lot of work. Finally I take the class layout/website into consideration. I ask myself if it is something I can look at a couple times a month. Usually there is no problem here but sometimes there is a class or two whose colours or layout just bother my eyes and so they are crossed off.
- Ivelisse Ada, Third Year
I like taking all sorts of classes. It actually depends on my mood! But I voted for HP/magical related, since I love all those classes with all the details and the information about different magical things. The canon classes are OK too, but we are a little full of them. I mean we read the books, we saw the movies, we all know what a hippogriff is or which are the 3 unforgivable curses. So, I love to learn about all those little things of the HP universe, and actually read it from another point of view (the professor's).
I also like taking non HP related classes, it's always a challenge!
- Violeta Lost, Fourth Year
All in all, one-third (33.33%) voted for the canon classes and to the HP/magic related classes as well. And 8.33 percent voted for the non-HP/non-magic related classes. And the rest, one-fourth (25%) voted for the other subjects on which the explanations are explained above. There you have it — the badgers' take on HOL classes.