Hogwarts: Amortentia x 1 million

From the second I walked into Diagon Alley, I felt like I had been given a powerful dose of ever-lasting Amortentia. I nearly swooned in Ollivander's and I literally sleep with my wand. The beauty of this study abroad program is that the orientation starts with the mandatory purchase of classroom essentials before the actual school term so that muggles can ease into this overwhelming world.

The Platform at 9 3/4 is everything you could ever wish for (I even dashed back to the other side so I run through a second time) and the snacks on the snack cart were out of this (muggle) world. I was a little disappointed with the surprisingly uncomfortable seats on the train. I haven't the faintest idea how Professor Lupin could have napped on those rock-hard, sorry-excuse-for-a-cushion seats.

During the Sorting Ceremony, I was placed in Hufflepuff. Unlike a fellow reviewer, I was actually pretty pleased with my selection. Everyone was super friendly and not the least bit arrogant unlike certain houses *cough cough Gryffindor cough cough*

I was incredibly pleased with my academic load which I found challenging but not overwhelming. I wisely steered clear of the History of Magic course and that made a great difference. I know some fellow study abroad cohorts who definitely dabbled in some exorcist spells in an attempt to rid themselves of Professor Binns.

The biggest tip I have is to fake it until you make it. This is especially the case for the Divination class. No one ever has to know that you lied about the shape of your tea leaves!