![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
At 7:55 in the morning, the doors of the gym and Nichols Hall opened to let in students clustered outside, marking the start of two weeks of AP exams.
Tests for AP Chemistry, Psychology, and Environmental Science were the first to be held. Many students felt a hint of apprehension as they entered the test sites; while some relaxed, others reviewed study material with friends.
“I’m a little nervous,” Leo Yu (10) said. “I don’t think it’s as stressful as other people make it out to be. I think it’s just normal studying. I think the test will be pretty easy for me; I’ve prepared enough.”
Several students like Leo felt confident in their abilities before the test but wanted to complete the exam as quickly as possible.
“I just want to get this [AP Chemistry Test] over with,” Josh Bollar (12) said, calmly summing up his thoughts a few minutes before the doors opened.
Josh took AP Chemistry largely because of the college credit he would receive for passing the exam.
All testing was completed by the end of the school day, and test takers were excused from regular classes. Severals students reported feeling relief after the tests.
“I wasn’t that stressed out, but I didn’t want to do badly. It was okay overall,” Madelyn Wang (10) said.
Madelyn took the AP Chemistry test and continued to attend classes after the exam ended.
The two weeks of AP tests will also affect those who do not take the exams. School meetings and class meetings are canceled through the AP weeks, while bells are suspended to not disturb students taking the exam.
Although APs are stressful for some, Preeya Mehta (12) believe that her teachers had prepared her sufficiently for her AP Psychology test.
“I wasn’t that nervous. I knew that the teacher had prepared me pretty well, so I studied what I had to and had the morning to just wake up and relax. I was fine,” Preeya said after the exam.
AP exams will continue until May 17, and according to College Board, students will be able to view their results online in July.
