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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

From childhood to adulthood, one thing that I’ve always loved, along with millions of others, is the magic of Hogwarts. The feeling that many (myself included) have while watching Harry Potter is a sense of excitement, happiness and belonging. From the beautiful architecture to the breathtaking scenery to the friends you make throughout years of struggling through school, and life, Hogwarts and Florida State do not seem to be all that different. As a senior graduating in May, I look back to my first visit to Florida State and think about why I chose to go here. Undoubtedly, the school’s academic reputation is a plus, but the academic achievements are not all FSU has to offer. Walking through the campus on Landis Green, I looked around and was overwhelmed by the architecture and gardening that FSU inhibited. The large oak trees seeped in Tallahassee’s infamous moss made me feel like I walking through Hogwarts stomping grounds and, at times, reminded me of the Whomping Willow.

As the tour continued, we made it to Suwannee Hall, which had large arched ceilings and what seemed like seating that stretched as far as the Great Hall.

I felt chill bumps and whispered to my mom that this reminded me so much of Harry Potter. The library, the classrooms, the professors— for some reason, everything felt so magical. I felt the same sense of belonging taking that tour of FSU as a senior in high school that I felt at seven years old watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the first time. It might seem silly to some, but I was romanticizing my life as a college student through the lens of everyone’s favorite Wizarding World. 

The magical feeling at Florida State doesn’t stop at the beautiful design of the campus, though. If you’re looking the feeling of weekend Quidditch matches to scream and cheer your team on, decked out in Garnet and Gold (uncanny resemblance to Gryffindor colors), then FSU has you covered. 

FSU football players celebrating their win
Photo by Tyler Pottenburgh

The energy in the air on an FSU game day is electric. It’s probably the closest feeling to magic, illuminating the town of Tallahassee. Everyone is headed to College Town and the bars (that are close to FSU’s stadium and campus) to grab a few “Butterbeers” before the game. People are happy, socializing, and getting ready for hours of cheering their team on, and I couldn’t help but to see the parallel between this and the notorious energy that is depicted in the Quidditch scenes of Harry Potter. 

Florida State University has given me the feeling of longing for learning, a sense of belonging, and a romantic view of academia that I think few universities so effortlessly achieve. No matter who you ask, from an excited incoming freshman to a reminiscing senior, I would bet that their responses to Florida State’s “magic” feeling are something that is hard to put into words. Instead, I feel like the greatest representation of how it feels to go to FSU can be beautifully described in one of the largest book/movie series in the world. Whether it is Hogwarts or Florida State University, both always feel like home. 

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I am a senior at Florida State University majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in Public Administration. A fun fact about me is I was born on Valentine's Day. I find happiness through small things like reading, listening to podcasts, and nature!