The Harry Potter franchise provides a fantastic adventure with mythical beasts and magic to be used, but the setting for a lot of the movie is a school. While Hogwarts is certainly very different from a normal high school, with potions classes and flying lessons not being an everyday experience for muggles.
However, even though the focus isn't always on school life in general, there are certain elements that the movies get absolutely spot on. Even though Hogwarts is unique, the core principle of the school is still similar and there are many aspects of it that people will be able to relate with in that respect.
Young Students Get Lost
When students first head up to their high school, it can be quite a daunting experience. New people, new places, and often a much larger location than they're used to, it is often an overwhelming moment for them and it normally results in them getting lost.
A lot of the time the youngest members of the school find themselves not knowing where to go early on, and that's the case with Hogwarts. The students often end up lost or running around, and the fact that they have moving staircases doesn't help matters.
Different Teaching Styles
As everyone will know, every teacher is different in how they operate and behave within a classroom, and that is clear in Harry Potter. It can go from the more relaxed style of Professor Flitwick who likes to encourage his students and be positive, to the strict and serious work of Professor Snape.
This is something that everyone will be able to relate to and understand. While different students react best to different teaching methods, there is no doubt that people will have had totally opposing styles to deal with at some stage.
The Teacher Everyone Is Friends With
While some teachers like to create a distinct and obvious barrier between themselves and the students, others opt for a different approach. Some members of staff like to be as close as possible with the students, earning their respect in a more personal manner.
That is clearest when it comes to Hagrid. While he's the groundskeeper at Hogwarts, he does like to have a friendly relationship with the students, trying his best to get to know them. There are often people like this in real schools, which is often why they end up being so popular.
School Bullies Exist
As unfortunate as it is, school bullies are very much real and all schools tend to have them. This is something that Hogwarts showcases, mainly through Draco Malfoy and his friends who typically like to make life horrible for other people around them.
While not everybody has dealt with bullying, every school has someone who treats others with disrespect and that is one of the main reasons why Malfoy was such an effective villain, as people would easily identify what type of person he was.
Pushy Parents
Speaking of Draco Malfoy, his father is a great example of how a certain section of parents often behave when it comes to schools. Parents always want what is best for their children, that much makes sense, but there's always a set of parents that take things too far.
Often wanting to complain to the headteacher about the smallest inconvenience, that is exactly what Lucius Malfoy showcases. This is something that teachers will likely be able to relate with more so than students, but it is a realistic look at schools.
The Stress Of Exams
Dolores Umbridge comes into Hogwarts just in time for the students to sit their O.W.L.'s, which is the Hogwarts version of an exam. This is something that everybody has to deal with during their school life, no matter where they are in the world, and the stress that comes with them is often frustrating.
Everybody has experienced this situation, and even in the wizarding world, the characters who deal with the exams find the stress a lot to cope with. It's a great reflection of how they can impact people, which makes these moments easy to relate to.
School Dances Are A Big Deal
Whether you call it prom or a yule ball, the principal is exactly the same. A major school dance is always a big deal for people, giving students a chance to dress up and enjoy themselves in what is often a romantic night that people want to get perfectly.
The yule ball is one of the most important moments within Harry Potter for the students. The build-up of finding a date for the event is huge, and then the night itself is one full of highs and lows, as most proms tend to be. But one thing that is for sure is that it is important.
Competition With Other Schools Is Important
Most schools have competition with other local schools, typically through sports. Whether it's cheerleading or football, there are often rivalries between the different locations with each school wanting to get one over on the other.
The Triwizard Cup was the way that got showcased in Harry Potter. While the headmasters try to make out that it is a friendly experience to promote each school, the fact is that the students take it very seriously, with each being desperate to win.
Sports Are A Big Deal
Speaking of competition, it isn't just with other schools that it takes place in. There is often huge competition within schools themselves, and that often comes through various sports. Harry Potter does a great job of highlighting that with quidditch.
The competition is a huge deal in the wizarding world and it is crucial for each house to win its games. Everyone takes it seriously, including the non-participants which showcases just how seriously everyone takes the sport.
It's All About Friends
While school is primarily seen as education, the main thing that it provides is friends for life. This is the big element that the Harry Potter movies push far more than any lesson or skill, with the bond between different characters being the crucial element of the story.
Whether they're from different houses or backgrounds, everyone is able to have something that connects them, even with Harry and Draco. The movies do a great job of showcasing the importance of friendship and the role that schools play in that, which is why these stories are easy to connect with, especially from a teenage perspective.