As my freshman year comes to a close I have come to the realization that this fine institution of Colgate University isn't actually too different from the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Although we are (unfortunately) not being taught actual magic, the two schools have a lot in common. I know that we were all severely disappointed when our 11th birthday came and went and we still had not received our Hogwarts acceptance letter, but perhaps we've all ended up going there anyways.

1. The architecture

You can't tell me that the buildings on campus don't sometimes remind you of the hallowed halls of Hogwarts. Sitting in the chapel for convocation is eerily similar to sitting in the Great Hall waiting to be sorted. Some of my classmates in my FSEM and I stumbled into the lowest floor of the library during our library orientation and I definitely felt as though I was in the restricted section of the Hogwarts library.

2. You're not entirely sure how to get to campus

Although we don't all ride here together on a magical train (side note: HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE THOUGH), we all come from different places on planes, trains, and in cars. There's always the awkward moment when someone asks "Where's Colgate?" and you have to answer "In the middle of NY state" or "Near Syracuse," but knowing they still will have no clue where you actually go to school.

3. The food is pretty questionable at times

So I've never had any experiences at Frank where the food has come alive and jumped out of a window, but there have been some pretty scary encounters with undercooked chicken.

4. The campus is completely covered with snow for several months

This is live footage of me attempting to walk down the hill in the snow.

5. We have uniforms

Colgate doesn't officially have uniforms, but anyone who is on this campus from the months of November to March knows that the majority of students can be found in Canada Goose jackets or some sort of black parka. They may as well be our version of house robes.

6. Incredible Professors

I am constantly blown away by how much the professors at this school know. They are all so experienced and many of them deeply care about the students. Also, because we don't have a Defense Against the Dark Arts class we don't have to worry about replacing professors quite as often as at Hogwarts.

7. There are secret passages

Although I'm fairly certain that we don't have a Chamber of Secrets, we do have underground tunnels that connect to several buildings. These are used when it is too cold to walk outside or, you know, for storing a pet basilisk if necessary.

8. House Cup Wars

At the beginning of the year during orientation, the Konosioni Honor Society puts on a field day where each of the freshmen dorms competes against each other in different activities. Although this doesn't go on for the full year like it does at Hogwarts, the competition of which dorm is best unofficially continues.

9. We have similar courses

Colgate University teaches its own type of magic. Chemistry is practically a potions class and Legacies of the Ancient World would also count for Muggle History credit. I'm still hoping that they'll offer a Transfiguration class one day, though.

10. Things start to get hectic at the end of the year

Everything was always smooth sailing at Hogwarts until the end of the year when Voldemort decided to show up to try and kill Harry Potter and everyone had to take their O.W.Ls. Colgate is similar to this with the massive amounts of assignments, exams, deadlines, and social events that are crammed into the final weeks of the semester. There are sometimes that I'd rather deal with seven Horcruxes than the seven papers I have to write.

11. There's no other place like it

Both schools are magical in their own way and there's no other place on Earth like them. It seems strange to leave in the summer because home isn't quite the same as school, but time will fly and you will be back with your friends and "up to no good" in no time.