1. On a scale of 1 (taking a class or two only) to 10 (involved in
anything and everything), how would you rate your activeness on HOL? Why?
Unlike the past, when the only thing I participated in was Quidditch and took only a couple of classes the entire year so that I could get 2 quills, this year I'm trying to be more active in HOL. I've been signing up for and participating in more activities, both in my own house and in HOL overall, since early in the summer. (This can be evidenced by the fact that I'm competing now for Miss HOL.) I'm also taking 5 classes this term, and am still an active member of Ravenclaw Quidditch Team. So… how would I rate my activeness on a scale of 1 to 10? My best guess would be currently around a 6 and hopefully increasing!
2. What are you involved with in your house?
I'm involved with RQT, and I usually try to participate in the activity going on at the time. I'm also one of the leaders of the DOWN WITH AMYISM campaign.
3. What is more important to you, being active in your house or HOL-wide? Why?
I think being active in your house is more important. I'm not saying being involved HOL-wide isn't important - because it is - but if I had to choose one area to focus on I'd pick my house. My main line of reasoning is this: if you choose to focus on HOL overall, you begin to lose opportunities to connect more with people in your own house. However, if you put more of your focus into your house, you form those connections with them and then, when you expand to the rest of HOL; you're able to do it knowing that you have your House behind you. While the different houses work together, it's still a good feeling to know that you have your own house to lend your support to. I know I wouldn't want to miss being a part of Ravenclaw.
4. If you were going to remake an activity for your house or HOL what would it be? Why?
I would remake the HOL Hunger Games. Why? So that I could make Kyrie Adderholt, Alaia Logan, Tarma Amelia Black, Kirra Rohan, Zoki Phantom, and Silmarien Szilagyi tributes. In other words, I'd get revenge on the hosts and game makers who locked all of us tributes in an arena and tortured us all summer. Other former tributes are more than welcome to join in as the new game makers and/or hosts.
5. How important do you think it is to be active on the forums compared to the chatrooms? Why?
I think it's equally important, although I personally am far more active in the chat room. I'd like to be more active on the forums, considering that there are many HOLers who are either unable to or don't want to constantly get on IRC and chat. There are so many people I'd probably be able to become friends with who are more comfortable on the forums. And, were I more active on the forums, I could say the same about the chat rooms. Being active on both is important.
6. A big part of community service on HOL involves working with members from other houses and having a willingness to cooperate. How well do you think you manage this? Why?
At the risk of boasting, I'll admit I think I'm rather good at cooperating with others. Last round I said that one of my dominant personality traits was being calm. I think that comes into play here. Like I said before, I don't get angry easily (if at all) and if someone is annoying me, I'm usually able to hide my annoyance and interact with them normally. I'm always willing to help someone out. If it's something I'm capable of doing, I'm not going to refuse to help. If necessary, I can work with people I may not particularly like because I can put the dislike aside and focus on the matter at hand. I think in my prior interactions with people from other houses, I've done a good job of working with them - but I suppose you'd have to ask them to know they think!
7. What is the hardest part about being active in your house and HOL?
One obstacle to being active in my house and in HOL is simply time constraints. Yes, I have a lot of free time - but there are so many things I love to do that it's difficult to make time for them all. I want to read, watch a movie, play a game, talk to friends, and so on. The hardest part isn't that I don't have enough time - it's being able to take a step back, examine priorities, and using the time I have both wisely and productively. That being said, it's something I am working on getting better at.
8. If you had to pick between running activities or participating in them for an entire year what would you pick and why?
Participating! Participating in activities is a really fun experience - especially if the activities involve teams. Whether it's solving puzzles, creating things, or just interacting with others, you can enjoy yourself while learning more (about others… or just how to solve that puzzle!)
9. Do you think it's more important to work with people that you know are dependable or to branch out and work with new people that you haven't worked with before? Why?
If you're working with people to run an activity, then it's important to have a mixture of the two. It's important to have at least one other person you know for certain you can count on, but it's also important to include someone new that you haven't worked with. By working with new people, you find more dependable people and you never know when that someone might just add something incredible to the mix. If you're not running an activity, but participating in it, you should try branching out and working with someone new. Perhaps you'll learn more about them - possibly even make a new friend.
10. HOL is your oyster, and you have admin powers the likes you've never seen. What is the first thing you do with said powers? And no, "playing with shiny buttons" does not count as an answer.
Daily chocolate parties are the first thing on the agenda, seeing as people seemed quite taken with that particular idea. Second item on the agenda is playing tricks with certain people's names… I think RQT would appreciate everyone being renamed Amy. Not only would we be more unified, but just imagine how horrified the other teams would be (or, you know, how horrified a certain RQT captain would be.)
However, once I'd finished having fun, I'd start finding out exactly what kind of powers I had and how I could use them to better HOL. I can't really
give you a detailed account of exactly what I would do, as I've never actually been in possession of admin powers before and thus would have to learn what those are. >_>
Unlike the past, when the only thing I participated in was Quidditch and took only a couple of classes the entire year so that I could get 2 quills, this year I'm trying to be more active in HOL. I've been signing up for and participating in more activities, both in my own house and in HOL overall, since early in the summer. (This can be evidenced by the fact that I'm competing now for Miss HOL.) I'm also taking 5 classes this term, and am still an active member of Ravenclaw Quidditch Team. So… how would I rate my activeness on a scale of 1 to 10? My best guess would be currently around a 6 and hopefully increasing!
2. What are you involved with in your house?
I'm involved with RQT, and I usually try to participate in the activity going on at the time. I'm also one of the leaders of the DOWN WITH AMYISM campaign.
3. What is more important to you, being active in your house or HOL-wide? Why?
I think being active in your house is more important. I'm not saying being involved HOL-wide isn't important - because it is - but if I had to choose one area to focus on I'd pick my house. My main line of reasoning is this: if you choose to focus on HOL overall, you begin to lose opportunities to connect more with people in your own house. However, if you put more of your focus into your house, you form those connections with them and then, when you expand to the rest of HOL; you're able to do it knowing that you have your House behind you. While the different houses work together, it's still a good feeling to know that you have your own house to lend your support to. I know I wouldn't want to miss being a part of Ravenclaw.
4. If you were going to remake an activity for your house or HOL what would it be? Why?
I would remake the HOL Hunger Games. Why? So that I could make Kyrie Adderholt, Alaia Logan, Tarma Amelia Black, Kirra Rohan, Zoki Phantom, and Silmarien Szilagyi tributes. In other words, I'd get revenge on the hosts and game makers who locked all of us tributes in an arena and tortured us all summer. Other former tributes are more than welcome to join in as the new game makers and/or hosts.
5. How important do you think it is to be active on the forums compared to the chatrooms? Why?
I think it's equally important, although I personally am far more active in the chat room. I'd like to be more active on the forums, considering that there are many HOLers who are either unable to or don't want to constantly get on IRC and chat. There are so many people I'd probably be able to become friends with who are more comfortable on the forums. And, were I more active on the forums, I could say the same about the chat rooms. Being active on both is important.
6. A big part of community service on HOL involves working with members from other houses and having a willingness to cooperate. How well do you think you manage this? Why?
At the risk of boasting, I'll admit I think I'm rather good at cooperating with others. Last round I said that one of my dominant personality traits was being calm. I think that comes into play here. Like I said before, I don't get angry easily (if at all) and if someone is annoying me, I'm usually able to hide my annoyance and interact with them normally. I'm always willing to help someone out. If it's something I'm capable of doing, I'm not going to refuse to help. If necessary, I can work with people I may not particularly like because I can put the dislike aside and focus on the matter at hand. I think in my prior interactions with people from other houses, I've done a good job of working with them - but I suppose you'd have to ask them to know they think!
7. What is the hardest part about being active in your house and HOL?
One obstacle to being active in my house and in HOL is simply time constraints. Yes, I have a lot of free time - but there are so many things I love to do that it's difficult to make time for them all. I want to read, watch a movie, play a game, talk to friends, and so on. The hardest part isn't that I don't have enough time - it's being able to take a step back, examine priorities, and using the time I have both wisely and productively. That being said, it's something I am working on getting better at.
8. If you had to pick between running activities or participating in them for an entire year what would you pick and why?
Participating! Participating in activities is a really fun experience - especially if the activities involve teams. Whether it's solving puzzles, creating things, or just interacting with others, you can enjoy yourself while learning more (about others… or just how to solve that puzzle!)
9. Do you think it's more important to work with people that you know are dependable or to branch out and work with new people that you haven't worked with before? Why?
If you're working with people to run an activity, then it's important to have a mixture of the two. It's important to have at least one other person you know for certain you can count on, but it's also important to include someone new that you haven't worked with. By working with new people, you find more dependable people and you never know when that someone might just add something incredible to the mix. If you're not running an activity, but participating in it, you should try branching out and working with someone new. Perhaps you'll learn more about them - possibly even make a new friend.
10. HOL is your oyster, and you have admin powers the likes you've never seen. What is the first thing you do with said powers? And no, "playing with shiny buttons" does not count as an answer.
Daily chocolate parties are the first thing on the agenda, seeing as people seemed quite taken with that particular idea. Second item on the agenda is playing tricks with certain people's names… I think RQT would appreciate everyone being renamed Amy. Not only would we be more unified, but just imagine how horrified the other teams would be (or, you know, how horrified a certain RQT captain would be.)
However, once I'd finished having fun, I'd start finding out exactly what kind of powers I had and how I could use them to better HOL. I can't really
give you a detailed account of exactly what I would do, as I've never actually been in possession of admin powers before and thus would have to learn what those are. >_>