Happy 2007 everyone! We’re starting a new year now, so perhaps a list of New Year’s Resolutions are in order? If you’re having trouble thinking of resolutions you want to make and keep for the new year, then the OP staff has you covered. Here’s a list of resolution that you might want to make this year!
<br>
<blockquote>
1. Do all of your homework this term. This includes extra credit!
<br>2. Beat Missa for the position of Top Point Earner in Gryffindor.
<br>3. L arn to writ  without using the l tt r ‘ ’, b caus  obviously it do sn’t  xist.
<br>4. Prove your sanity. (Good luck with that one…)
<br>5. Strive to be Gryffindor’s sparkliest person!
<br>6. Blow up the Common Room at least once. So many other people have already done it, so you might as well give it a try, too.
</blockquote>
Please feel free to borrow any resolutions from this list, and don’t forget to make some of your own. Enjoy the new year, everyone!
<br>
<br><b>Contents
<br>1. Den Sortings
<br>2. January House Meeting
<br>3. Drama Club Open to New Members
<br>4. Paw Print Issue 28
<br>5. January Prose and Cons Challenge
<br>6. Upcoming Quidditch Match
<br>7. December Award Winners
<br>8. Lion's Pride Awards Committee Applications
<br>9. More End of Term Reminders
<br>
<br>------------------------------------------ 
<br>1. Den Sortings
<br>------------------------------------------ </b>
<br>Are you new to Gryffindor? If so, keep you eye on <a href="http://www.gryff.net/CR/index.php?showtopic=323">this link</a>. It contains the den sortings for new Gryffindors. Dens are how we organize our students. Each den is lead by a Prefect. Through your den, you can get to know other Gryffindors and participate in den challenges. Those of you who were in a den last term are in that same den for Winter Term as well. Dens are assigned on Saturdays.
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>2. January House Meeting
<br>------------------------------------------ </b>
<br>What would a month be like if we didn't have our monthly house meeting? We're not sure, but you don't have to worry about it because another helping of house meeting is coming your way this month! Gryffindor's January house meeting will take place on Sunday the 14th at 4 pm EST (9 pm HOL) in #gryffhousemeeting. Refreshments will be provided, but only if you show up and obey the rules! Well... maybe even if you don't obey the rules. ;)
<br>
<br>Speaking of rules, the House Meeting Rules of Conduct can be found <a href="http://www.gryff.net/Faq/Gryffindor%20Information/What%20about%20House%20Meetings.htm">here</a>. Be sure to follow the rules, or we'll use our prefectly weapons of punishment on you! And we'll withhold your cookies, which is really the worst punishment of all. We also have all of our old house meetings from the 2006-2007 school year online! You can find the logs of these past meetings <a href="http://www.gryff.net/Housemeeting.htm">here!</a>
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>3. Drama Club Open to New Members
<br>------------------------------------------ </b>
<br>The Gryffindor Drama Club is looking for new members to join its <strike>army of darkness</strike> band of thespians. If you're interested, fill out the following form and PM it to Katie Potter.
<br>
<br>HOL Name:
<br>HOL ID:
<br>Why do *you* think you're eligible to join the Drama Club?
<br>Do you have any experience in Drama? (if you don't, not to worry, I'm just wondering!)
<br>
<br>More information is available <a href="http://www.gryff.net/CR/index.php?showtopic=343">here</a>.
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>4. Paw Print Issue 28
<br>------------------------------------------ </b>
<br>The 28th issue of The Paw Print is here, and it's dying for your attention! This latest issue is filled to the brim with lots of great articles to read. Take your pick from 2 fantastic sports articles about your beloved GQT and their wins over Slytherin and Hufflepuff, 3 wonderful news articles (one of which even features a certain quidditch captain stealing a certain fat lady's dress!), 3 hilarious gossip articles, and lots of creative entries from Prose and Cons! And, as always, this Paw Print also has another wonderful PoT-centric, picture-heavy Mane Topic to satiate your PoT needs! All of these great articles can be found <a href="http://pawprint.gryff.net/">here</a>, and be sure to leave some raving comments for your hardworking Paw Print staff <a href="http://www.gryff.net/CR/index.php?showtopic=354">here!</a> Happy reading!
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>5. Prose and Cons January Challenge
<br>------------------------------------------ </b>
<br>Not only does the Paw Print promote reading, but it also promotes writing! This month's Prose and Cons challenge has been posted, so get working on it right away. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, (and you should since you can earn up to 30 points for doing this!), is to write story or poem, or create an image featuring your New Years resolutions! For further information, go <a href="http://www.gryff.net/CR/index.php?showtopic=364">here</a>. Entries are due January 24th to creativequill@gmail.com. Please include your HOL name and HOL ID. Remember, you can earn up to 30 points doing this, so don't delay!
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>6. Upcoming Quidditch Match
<br>------------------------------------------</b>
<br>The Gryffindor quidditch team started the first half of the 2006-2007 quidditch season with a bang, and they have no intentions of letting up now! The final match of the season's first half will be against Ravenclaw! This is sure to be a fiery match that you won't want to miss, so be sure to show up on Saturday, January 13th at 4 pm EST (9 pm HOL) to catch the action. Your beloved GQT will be carving up the birds in #quidditch! If you're feeling hyper and you'd like to cheer until your lungs burst for the GQT, head on over the #grandstand and go nuts! Just remember to be respectful to the other houses.
<br>
<br>And after the match, we'll be holding an all-you-can-eat chicken finger buffet! If you've never tasted a chicken finger before, you don't know what you're missing. :o The chicken fingers supply always goes fast (much like the badger meat supply after Hufflepuff games!), so don't say we didn't warn you if you miss out on your chance to eat some chicken fingers!
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>7. December House Awards
<br>------------------------------------------</b> 
<br>Gryffindor's December House Awards have been announced, and we have two very special lions to honor this month! Our first award goes to a young kitten who has proven herself to be a very dedicated first year. To Brenna Westfeld, the awards committee would like to present her with The Curious Kitten Award! This honor is only given out once each semester to the kitten who shows the most participation and enthusiasm in Gryffindor, so congratulations to Brenna, our Curious Kitten!
<br>
<br>Next, the Lion's Pride Awards Committee has noticed a very hardworking, hyperactive, overachieving, and all around great lion within our ranks. This second year has been very active this year, participating in several different activities, and showing that she's very dedicated and responsible. Did we also mention that she's putting up quite the fight in the Gryffindor Arcade? For all that and more, please congratulate Joanne Grey for winning the Fellytone Award!
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>8. Lion's Pride Awards Committee Applications
<br>------------------------------------------</b> 
<br>The Lion's Pride Awards Committee is looking for new members to join them! Do you think you have what it takes to decide who should be among the next batch of wonderful people who deserve an award? Being on the committee is lots of fun, so check out <a href="http://www.gryff.net/CR/index.php?showtopic=376">this post</a>! Joining the Lion's Pride is simple. First, make sure you fit the criteria. This includes joining HOL before October 2006 and being an objective person. If you've made it past this step, then just fill out a short application, send it in, and wait to see if you're accepted! The deadline for applications is January 26th. Good luck to all of the applicants!
<br>
<br><b>------------------------------------------ 
<br>9. More End of Term Reminders
<br>------------------------------------------ </b>
<br>It's coming! :o Nope, we're not talking about Gryfftoberfest this time. There's not enough butterbeer left in Gryffindor to cover another celebration like that. XD We're talking about the end of term. This coming January 31st marks the end of the first term of the 2006-2007 HOL school year. This is your 23-day warning, so use your remaining time to work diligently on your last homework assignments and final projects, and to squeeze every last point you can out of various contests and anywhere you can! Also, make sure to tie up any loose ends from the first term. This includes making sure that you've gotten the points you should have gotten from your previous homework assignments. Some professors probably haven't submitted points yet for the more recent assignments, so be patient, but if you notice that something's wrong with your student file, then be sure to email your professors!
<br>
<br>The new term will start on February 1st. If any of your first term classes are ending or closing, or you don't currently have 5 classes, then you're eligible to pick up new classes for the second term. Signing up for a new class is easy. Just follow the steps in <a href="http://hol.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=14028">this post</a>!