Ardnieu Orientation, Fall Semester (Aug-Dec 2009)

[OOC: In order to be sorted and assigned to your dormitory, you must provide a bit of information at the top of your Orientation post! Copy and paste the small form provided below and include it in your reply to this thread.

Thanks!

-AU Administration ]

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Moreen had no idea where the last semester had run off to, but it had certainly scampered away in a hurry. She wasn't quite ready for a new one, but there it was, upon her before she had even sorted out the last one. That left her with little choice but to roll with it.

Once again, the Orientation hall was full of hopeful, prospective students. It was only through reluctant agreement that some of them were probably there, but eventually, even the pessimists amongst them would come to see the merits of higher education. And for those who were already enlightened to such things, the years ahead would be most rewarding.

Assuming they would actually get past Orientation.

"Welcome all, to Ardnieu University!" Her voice rang throughout the room, having been charmed to increase its volume, so it would rise above the buzz of conversation. She gave it a moment to die down before she continued.

"I am your Chancellor, Moreen Rastal, here with Vice Chancellor and Professor of Arithmancy, Andrei Soterius, our Dean of Students and Professor of Defense and Dueling, Darius Saxen, and our panel of esteemed faculty." While making her introductions of her fellow administrative heads, she had indicated the two gentlemen sitting closest to her in the row of professors' chairs off to her left. All of the other chairs were occupied by the rest of the school's professors and staff.

"The fact that you were all invited here today proves that you are quite capable of going far in your academic careers. Should your scholastic achievements carry you through the entire admissions procedure taking place here today, you will be walking in the footsteps of some of the most celebrated figures in Wizarding history. Their accomplishments in life alone attest to the sort of greatness to which one may aspire, should one have the will to bring it to fruition."

For some reason, Andrei's words echoed in her memory. "For each one who succeeds, Moreen, at least three others do not." He had said as much ages ago, and though it was true, she still refused to think about it. Everyone was capable of succeeding, if they had the drive and passion necessary for it. History had proven that several times over already.

"Should you be fully accepted into these noble halls of learning, will be placed in one of our two dormitory towers: Gormlaith or Alastar. All other pertinent information regarding the school and surrounding areas, majors, courses, and so forth are included in our catalog, which may be obtained from any of the publication stands that have been set up various points around the room. Feel free to pick one up at your leisure. Your class schedules will arrive once your applications are reviewed.

"If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask," she continued. "Other than myself, we have Resident Advisors and Student Ambassadors roaming about if you've need of further insight regarding matters pertaining to the school.

"Thank you for your time, and for bringing your talents to Ardnieu. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors." Having concluded her speech, she stepped down from the podium, and resumed her seat among the other professors and faculty.

Alexandria Amenemhat:
Undergraduate
Freshman


Alexandria Amenemhat, lost in a sea of prospective students, walked through a broad, tall archway, she hoped led to the orientation hall. Her heart pounded in her chest not from excitement but the close proximity of so many people she didn’t know. Alexandria’s social anxiety level was bouncing around like an out of control seismometer.

“I have got to get out of this mess”, she told herself and as quickly as she could, Alexandria weaved herself through the crowd until she was against the wall. She turned her back to the crowd and pretended to gaze at the portraits and artifacts that littered the walls.

Alexandria pressed her right hand against the pulse in her neck and whispered the small incantation she learned from her high school nurse, “Magic, chase this mess away. Keep it far from me today. Magic, chase this mess away. Keep it far from me today.” The comforting warmth of magic spread through Alexandria’s body and urged her heartbeat to a slow, steady rhythm.

She jumped as a strong female voice suddenly rang throughout the room. The loud hall suddenly became void of sound as everyone fixated on the woman at the podium. Alexandria twirled her long, curly brown hair between her fingers as she listened to the chancellor. Her speech was moving, even to someone like Alexandria.

Alexandria was certain she was only there because of her overbearing father and his drive to make her succeed in something, but her heart kind of fluttered at the idea of following in the footsteps of some of the wizards and witches that decorated the walls of Ardnieu University, but the words “should one have the will to bring it to fruition,” kept repeating themselves through her mind.

“What if I don’t have the will?” she asked herself. “What if what I want isn’t enough?” Alexandria looked at the other students and wondered, “Do any of them have the same fears?"

You have been sent a PM containing the Admissions Application. --Soterius.

This post has been edited by Prof. Andrei Soterius on Aug 13 2009, 01:43 PM

Character Name: Chiharu Takiyama
Undergraduate or Graduate? Undergraduate
Year? Freshman

Chiharu Takiyama sat in a chair in the Orientation Hall, hands folded neatly in her lap. She listened attentively to the speech being given by the Chancellor. She had to admit she was far more interested in the Vice Chancellor who was the professor of Arithmancy. It was a subject she had been quite good at while attending the Japanese School for Witchcraft, an all girls’ school.

She itched a leg with one of her black loafers. She had not really known what to wear underneath her black robe so she fell back to her old school uniform, a navy blazer with a white dress skirt and navy skirt. It was an outfit she had grown quite accustomed to over the seven years she had been at school. Of course the loose socks she wore were something that had been only worn when not in class. Loose socks had typically been frowned upon by the professors because they were a muggle addition. Her dark brown hair had been put into her standard pigtails.

She wondered and worried about whether or not she would do well in Ireland. English was not her first language though she was rather adept at it. She was glad to be far away from her parents who frequently angered her in their old fashioned ways. By being a witch, and the only witch in the family, she had brought disgrace to her family. Her parents had gone to the Heian Shrine to hang ema asking the kami for forgiveness for whatever they had done to give them such a child. It had hurt her at first until she learned to ignore it.

After she had graduated she did the only thing she could think of doing, applying for a foreign university. To her delight she had been accepted and with a farewell to her younger sister Kasumi she had left for England.

She looked down at her shoes. She felt very odd wearing them indoors. In Japan, no one wore shoes inside of buildings. Everyone had a pair of slippers they wore instead. She supposed she would have to get used to wearing regular shoes inside. She did not think they would allow her to wear her slippers, although they were packed inside her bags. She would continue the practice in her room.

She looked back up at the stage realizing that she had missed the last half of the speech being lost in her own thoughts. She looked around, nervousness playing in her chocolate eyes.

You have been sent a PM containing the Admissions Application. --Soterius.

This post has been edited by Prof. Andrei Soterius on Aug 13 2009, 01:44 PM

Character Name: Leonard Jacob ("Jake") Callahan
Undergraduate or Graduate? Undergraduate
Year? Freshman

The day was young, and so was he. Jake took his place in a chair, cross-legged, leather shoes scuffing the shins of once-pressed slacks. Two brochures folded over his hand: both of which he would likely never read.

What could a piece of paper tell him that he didn't already know? It wasn't like he was going into this University thing blind. Being the youngest of three upstanding youth in Irish Wizarding Society, Jake felt he'd already lived this moment through his brothers. Hell, he might as well have vicariously lived through all four years.

It was one of the reasons Jake had his mind set on becoming a professional student.

Sure, his folks wouldn't be pleased. However, he wouldn't let on at first. He'd select a college to focus on, get all excited about it, then find something terribly unfit about the whole thing and switch to something entirely different. He would drift through Ardnieu's departments like a September breeze casually tossed the leaves of autumn.

Then, maybe he'd settle on something and attend graduate school for it.

The application for admission was situated firmly in a clipboard beside him, everything filled out except for the programme of study.

Business? was his first thought. No, that's Patrick. I'd be terrible at it. Arithmancy? Hell no. Man, I should've thought of this before I came here. Jake brushed the quill's feather against his lips. The decision came to him within seconds, and he went with it lest he change his mind again.

Fine Arts.

It was brilliant. In two years' time, his parents would welcome the change of heart.

You have been sent a PM containing the Application for Admission. -- Soterius.

This post has been edited by Prof. Andrei Soterius on Aug 15 2009, 01:03 AM

Character Name: Billie Jean Morrison
Undergraduate or Graduate? Undergraduate
Year? Freshman.

The very non-magical cigarette between her lips, the fake designer jacket and her incredibly muggle-fashion shoes did not change the fact that Wilhelmina Jeanette Morrison was in fact a witch. Of course, the fake designer jacket had a small pocket for her wand sewn into the sleeve, and the shoes had a spell on the that made them actually comfortable. Oh, and she wore magical hairspray. Because it just gave her style so much more edge.

Truly.

It wasn't that she was nervous. It was just that she was a bit excited. And maybe a tad nervous. Because no matter how independent and worriless she liked to be, the truth of the matter was that she was half a world away from home, in a place where she knew no one and nothing. She was a foreigner, and she felt a little bit like a tourist as she stood in front of the doors of Ardnieu University. It all looked so grand, so ancient and so ..royal. It was like nothing back home, where things were fashionable and shiny and new, or simply old. And even when it was old it didn't even come close to the age of this castle. But she wouldn't classify it as old. Vintage, perhaps, but not old. It was too grand to be called something that was only a three-letter word.

Before she walked through those grand doors, she tossed away her cigarette. Because she was that proper. And because it was a tedious habit that she had no intentions of actually developing any time soon. She just did it when the situation called for it. Like this, when she was not really nervous, but kinda nervous nonetheless. Smokes did wonders for her then. As did vodka. But the cigarette had seemed a little bit more socially acceptable.

Taking one deep breath, she walked through the doors, and didn't release it again until she was five steps into the building. She was there. Ardnieu. University of Magic. Her adventures could begin, whatever they would turn out to be. Duelling sounded like great fun, as did performing arts. She had not yet decided. In the end, she would probably end up asking her eight-ball which major to chose. It seemed as reasonable as any other way of choosing a feature.

Or, maybe not. But it was the best she had at the moment.


You have been sorted into the Undergraduate group. Please proceed to the Character Profile to complete the admissions procedure, while you await your welcome letter. Thank you!


This post has been edited by Prof. Moreen Rastal on Aug 15 2009, 05:41 AM

Character Name: Jade Forrester
Undergraduate or Graduate? Undergraduate
Year? Freshman

Why Jade was continuing her education she still wasn't sure. But if she had to give a reason it would be that she wanted to make her parents proud. Jade would be the first one in her family to graduate from any sort of university be it muggle or magical if she continued on.
There was just one problem; she had never been overly fond of school to start with. It still amazed her that she managed to get as far as she had and now it was only going to get harder.

Being somewhat anti-social didn’t help either and she had taken up a spot near the wall that was also close to the door so as to make for a quick exit when the orientation ended.
She couldn’t be sure, but she had concluded a long time ago that her anti-social behavior was probably due to the fact that she was an only child.

For the most part, it wasn’t that she didn’t like making new friends she just wasn’t a very good conversationalist. She usually avoided talking to strangers unless she absolutely had to. That was going to prove difficult now that she was attending Ardnieu, as the number of students here was significantly greater than there had been at her previous school.

This has been made apparent when she had first stepped into the orientation hall and seen the large crowd. Now she was all to well aware that she was probably going to have to come out of her bubble sooner than she thought.

Pushing these thoughts away for now though, she concentrated on the present and looked around the crowded orientation hall.
Just a few more years and she (fingers crossed) would be on the way to starting the life her parents had always wanted for her.


You have been sorted into the Undergraduate group. Please proceed to the Character Profile to complete the admissions procedure, while you await your welcome letter. Thank you!

This post has been edited by Prof. Moreen Rastal on Aug 22 2009, 01:07 PM