Erin Potter, Staff Writer
There’s a new club in the works: The Harry Potter Club. This club is currently seeking SA recognition and is very close to gaining it. From what I hear around campus, many students at SUNY Oneonta love Harry Potter, so why hasn’t an official club been created yet? The Harry Potter series has been around for over a decade and it would only make sense that this popular book and movie series would trigger a club. Sarah Vitro and Laura Ajaeb are two such people who love Harry Potter and took it upon themselves to get this club started.
Vitro said, “Before my first semester here at Oneonta, I became aware that there was no Harry Potter Club here.” She went on to say that the club would allow Harry Potter fans to come together and “just be wizards.”
The founders-in-progress have been busy planning activities for the club, starting with the members being sorted into houses. This is what happens at the beginning of students’ first year at Hogwarts, so it would seem appropriate for members to go through the same sorting process. Vitro explained, “I plan on having everyone take a test to be sorted into their houses. There will be a legitimate sorting ceremony with the sorting hat.” When all of the members have been sorted, some meetings would be different classes, such as “divination, defense against the dark arts, herbology, potions and wand-making,” just like in the series. Ajaeb stated, “After the sorting, each house would have prefects,” or members with leadership roles. Vitro and Ajaeb plan on replicating the Triwizard Tournament, which is a friendly contest that would be between the houses. This tournament, in the story, consists of a series of tasks that tests the champions in many ways, such as “magical prowess, daring, powers of deduction, and their ability to cope with danger.” Of course, the members of this club wouldn’t be required to battle dragons or face Voldemort. Following the tournament, there would be a Yule Ball to celebrate.
At some meetings there would be debates about the books versus the movies or character discussions. One goal is to incorporate education and community service by doing readings at local schools and holding book drives for charities. Vitro and Ajaeb said that the purpose of the club is to promote reading, but also that “this club is open to everyone, even if they have not read the books.” The only requirement is a love for Harry Potter.
This club would provide Harry Potter lovers with the opportunity to come together and have a great time. “I want people coming to the club feeling like a witch or a wizard. I always find that when I am in a room with Harry Potter lovers the atmosphere is just so wonderful,” Vitro said. The ultimate goal for the club is to bring Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to the muggles of Oneonta. “I know there are many people still waiting for their acceptance letter into Hogwarts, but the wait is finally over because Harry Potter Club is coming to town!”
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