This was my first year at HOL. I was and still am glad that I found HOL; I had been looking for a site like this off and on for some time. Before I found HOL I had been a member of some other Harry Potter websites, some with classes and some without. But, the ones with classes seemed too easy and not immersive enough. And, the ones without classes were not what I was looking for. I was slightly disappointed to find that we couldn’t visit areas like Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, to have a more immersive experience. But, I have found that I don’t need to visit those places because there are generally enough events and classes to keep me busy that I don’t miss them.
I joined during the Autumn term and during the Autumn term, I participated in some events, but mainly I just focused on my classes and exploring HOL. I was very excited to find out about the monthly puzzle challenges in HOLLERS, the games tent in the Sett, and the arcade club in the Dungeons. Probably because I like puzzles and games.
It took me until the Spring term to really warm up and actually start talking to people, and participating more in the various events throughout HOL. I have found that I like reading people’s responses to the various tasks that pop up in the events, even if I am not really a fan of writing a response.
I like that there are a variety of classes (both relating to the Magical world and Muggle subjects) to choose from and that there are variances each term. It is part of what makes HOL so interesting.
The community has been welcoming. There have been many times where I have logged onto IRC, and someone has said “Hi!”, and people are generally willing to chat with you, if you want to.
In conclusion: I have found that HOL is easy to navigate, the classes are interesting, and the community is friendly and welcoming.