‘Harry Potter’ inspires magical week of fun, games, Quidditch at Collins LLC

Accio, “Harry Potter” fans.

This week, Collins Living-Learning Center residents trade human ways for wizard wands in celebration of magic, literature and friendship.

The fourth-annual “A Week at Hogwarts” features activities inspired by J.K. Rowling’s best-selling book series. Wizardry is free and open to all students.

Senior Lisa Runion, a Collins event coordinator, said the week is designed to cast a bonding spell on participants.

“We really wanted to create a series of events that would bring the residents together,” she said. “I started planning this summer, picking out events and calling graduate
students and professors to teach classes.”

From wand-making workshops to seminars on “Muggle Studies,” students will have opportunities to delve into a fantastical realm of topics.

“It’s a very unique experience on IU’s campus,” said sophomore Alex Lahmeyer, director of the Collins’ board of programmers. “A lot of people say that Collins looks like Hogwarts.”

Lahmeyer said competitions similar to fictional quests in Rowling’s novels are taken seriously throughout the week. Residents can compete for a “House Cup” to earn honor for their buildings, which have been assigned different colors and magical animals.

Banners depicting unicorns, dragons and lions hang from windows to promote team camaraderie.

“People get really into it,” he said.

Runion said competitive spirit hits its peak during the traditional Quidditch match on
Sunday. The sport, played in mid-air on brooms in the “Harry Potter” series, is reformatted for realistic play by teams of students.

“We’ve adapted the rules into a combination of Frisbee, dodgeball and hide-and-go-seek,” Runion said. “Last year was ridiculous. It was quite the ungovernable mob of people.”

Runion said musical performances have also drawn crowds in past Hogwarts Weeks.

“We have wizard rock bands give a concert,” she said. “It’s a newer genre of music.
They’re rock bands, but they sing about things related to ‘Harry Potter.’”

Collins employee Leigh Davis, a founding member of the magical festivities, said energy is a consistent component at every event. Although the festivities are made for students living in Collins, the rest of the student body is encouraged to attend.

The opening ceremony, which occured in the Collins dining hall on Sunday, attracted
multiple enthusiastic Harrys, Rons and Hermiones.

“People take it upon themselves to dress as the books’ characters,” Davis said. “It’s an excuse to break out those Halloween costumes again.”

Davis, who has attended every Hogwarts week since 2005, said she met some of her best friends at previous events.

“You meet people with the same interests and get involved at the same time,” she said. “It’s a fun, relaxing way to get a taste of Collins and the ‘Harry Potter’ world.”