Lodging

What dorm buildings are we using for New World Magischola?

We are using MacGregor Hall and Ham Hall. These buildings are ADA­-compliant and have elevators. They have a locked exterior door, accessible by your key card, and interior doors which lock with a key.

Are the dorms air-conditioned?

The dorms are not air-conditioned. Average temperatures at Mt. Holyoke in mid-June are in the mid-70s with temperatures falling into the 60s or below in the evening. It may be warmer though. You are encouraged to bring window fans.

If you have a medical necessity for air-conditioning, the college will install a unit in your room for an additional fee and with a prescription from your physician. Because of the style of the windows in these buildings, standard AC window units do not fit and floor units must be installed by their facilities professionals. Additionally, the electrical load in the building cannot handle many AC units. For these reasons, the AC units are in short supply and heavily regulated by the College.

If you have a medical necessity for an AC unit, please email our staff at info@magischola.com. If you do not have a medical necessity but strongly prefer air-conditioning, it is possible for a few participants to stay in the Willits-Hallowell Center, the college’s inn. This building is across the street from the dorms and on the way to the classroom building and Ciruti Hall. There will be a housing upgrade fee to use this option. Rooms have two double beds and there are five rooms available.

The fee to have an AC unit added to your room or to stay in the Willits-Hallowell Center is the $95 single room upgrade fee.

What size are the beds?

Every bed is a twin XL bed.

Is it possible to get a room to myself?

Yes, but you must purchase a single occupancy upgrade.

I have a particular roommate I want to stay with. Can you put us together?

Both parties should indicate they want to stay with the other person on their survey, and must include their friend’s email. If both do not indicate the other person, the match may not be made (we have to be sure *both* parties agree to the rooming arrangement).

Can I be a roommate with someone who isn’t in the same NWM house as me?

Yes!  Rooms are considered off-game by default. Our participants’ comfort with their roommate exceeds any wish to try to keep roommates within an NWM house. Also, many 1st year students will have their room assignments before they have a house anyway.

Can we switch roommates once the room assignments are out?

Any time there are logistical changes, it takes a lot of time and manual labor. We hope you will respond to the requests for roommate preference when we distribute them, so that the initial assignments are as accurate as possible. That said, changes are inevitable, and we will do our best to make it work so that everyone’s happy. If changes are requested less than one week from the event, we must pay a $25 change fee to the college. That fee will be passed on to the person requesting late changes.

Can my room be an in-­character area?

Rooms are out of character by default, but if all occupants agree, this can be changed. 1:00 am to 7:00 am is considered sleep time, however, to allow everyone to get some rest. There are no night mods or ambushes in this game. Please get your rest.

How are the bathrooms set up?

Each floor has:

One single occupancy bathroom, with toilet, sink, and shower behind a locking door. These will be all-gender bathrooms.

One large shared bathroom with

Four (4) showers in individual stalls with individual curtains

Five (5) sinks and mirrors

Four (4) toilets in individual stalls (no urinals)

Shared bathrooms may be designated as Women, Men, or All-Gender, depending on preferences and the majority of people on a floor.

There are also gender-neutral public bathrooms in Ciruti (the classroom building), the Dining Hall, and the Campus Student Center.

Do I have to room with someone of a different gender?

On the survey, you will identify your gender and state if you would prefer to room with others of the same gender as you, or if that doesn’t matter to you.

Can I decorate my room?

Yes, but respect the facilities, and keep in mind the rules (such as no open flames, no hot pots), etc. You may attach things to the wall, but please use the adhesive putty and not tape. Check with your roommate or suitemates before applying decoration to shared areas.

When will I get my roommate assignment?

We cannot assign roommates until we get the final housing arrangements from the venue, which will not occur until mid-­late May.

Sleep

Players will be housed in MacGregor and Ham Hall.

All participants sleep in extra-long twin dormitory beds (twin XL), two students per room.

Each floor has one single-occupancy bathroom with a shower, and one shared-use bathroom with multiple stalls, sinks, and showers.

MacGregor and Ham Hall are not air-conditioned, but you may bring fans.

Roommate requests will be honored as much as is practical; otherwise, participants will be paired according to their preferences on the Rooming Survey. If you prefer a room to your own for any reason, you may purchase the single-room upgrade for $80.

Sheets, pillows, and towels do not come with the price of admission to NWM. You may bring your own linens, or rent a linens package for $25. Since the beds are twin XL, you may find that two flat sheets are easier than a fitted one.

All dorm rooms are by default off-game, meaning you are not in-character while in your dorm room. Common rooms and lounges are in-game at all times. If you would like to make your dorm room an in-character space, you may do so, but only with the active consent of your roommate. Since many of us have mundane medications and devices in our rooms, it is usually easier to keep them off-game.

You may decorate your room as you wish, but you cannot cover the windows or the sprinkler system. You may attach things to the walls with approved adhesive only (painter’s tape, tacky putty, 3M comfort strips).

No open flames are allowed in any buildings at any time. LED candles are fine.

Since Mount Holyoke College is in a residential neighborhood, we must abide by local noise ordinances. We must be quiet outside after 10PM. Please be a good and respectful neighbor.

Accomodations

Eat

You’ll have three meals a day from dinner on Thursday evening to breakfast on Sunday morning. Feel free to bring extra snacks for between meals, but we will provide you with food.

All meals will be in the newly-renovated Dining Commons in the Community Center. Meals are buffet style, and the Dining Commons has options to accommodate all dietary restrictions, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Allergens and other ingredients are clearly labeled on all dishes. If you have severe allergies or other dietary needs, you’ll get the chance to enter that on your Player Information form.

All meals will be out-of-character since we will be sharing the Dining Commons with other groups; also, some people need to eat out-of-character for reasons that wouldn’t make sense for their character.

Alcohol

This is an event set at Wizard College, complete with the college parties that come with it.

Alcohol is only allowed in the residence halls. Therefore, formal ceremonies and the dance will be dry events, and any club meeting that involves alcohol must be held in MacGregor Hall or Ham Hall. Please respect the site. Thank you!

Attendees under the age of 21 will have a sticker on their name badges. Please help us comply with Massachusetts law by not providing or purchasing alcohol for those who are not of the legal age to drink in the United States.

Other than the above restrictions, it is up to you to choose whether, when, and how much to imbibe. We ask you to drink responsibly and to use a buddy system to ensure everyone is accounted for and safe. If you notice someone who is disorderly from drinking, please report it to an Organizer, who will assist.

Since alcohol at an event does correlate with an uptick in undesirable behaviors, such as harassment, we ask all players to be circumspect with their own behavior and to hold other players accountable for their remarks and actions. Our commitment to Community Safety and Inclusivity is something that is maintained by everyone.

If you do not drink and are uncomfortable around drinking, there will be designated alcohol-free spaces at the larp after-party on Saturday night. We are also considering a club for non-drinkers for in-game and off-game solidarity.