I’m one of many children who grew up wishing they could attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the wildly famous “Harry Potter” books. So when I went off to college and ended up here at Trinity, I made the most of the university’s similarities to Hogwarts.
First, there’s the dormitories. Sharing a room with friends on campus and occasionally spending leisure time in common rooms are both activities students at Hogwarts also partake in.
In buildings like Witt-Winn Residence Hall, there are numerous outdoor bridge walkways to get lost in, giving it a very “Harry Potter” feel. It’s not hard to get lost on the bridgeways and end up in a different building. When walking through them at night or in the early morning, when fog is in the tall trees in that area, it’s easy to pretend you’re at Hogwarts, learning how to fly on a broom instead of learning the fundamentals of economics and computer science.
Though they are not yet proven to actually be magical, the Trinicats that roam the campus create an aura of mystery and comfort at the same time. They’re a different kind of magical beast.
Additionally, there’s a dining hall where you can feast with your friends and a library with books full of all kinds of knowledge. If only there was also a place to play enchanted chess.
Like at Hogwarts, some Trinity students get sorted into groups as well. The four houses at Hogwarts have their own unique strengths and students are sorted based on personality and their own personal preference. In the Greek system, the same ideas reigns, but unlike in “Harry Potter,” not all are sorted.
In “Harry Potter,” there are ghosts that wander the halls of Hogwarts, making friendly with the students and occasionally playing a prank or two. At Trinity, we have our own Calvert Ghosts that only appear on Halloween night. The tradition warrants students living in Calvert to run naked through the first-year quad covered in baby powder, giving them a ghostly appearance. When you catch a glimpse of these ghastly creatures, you might feel a tingle down your spine.
Trinity was founded in 1869, and compared to other college campuses, that’s pretty old. This means that there are a lot of secrets to be found around campus, just like at Hogwarts. Rooms like ones in the Halsell and Chapman Centers, which sport wood walls, chandeliers and even fireplaces, have as much character in them as memories they hold.
Legends at Trinity are not always well known, but there are many. If you were to do the research, you’d surely come across more than one interesting story. If there is one place to find leads, it’s the special collections section of the library. Located on the bottom floor, most of its contents are older than our professors. Many obscure pieces of Trinity and San Antonio history are on display.
So if you’re feeling mundane at Trinity, remember that you are at a school with a history, like Hogwarts. You might not be fighting the Dark Lord in an enchanted forest or meeting elves and goblins, but there there are adventures to be had and treasures to be found; you just have to remember to look.
