![“[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)
I’ve found the term “leaving the nest” often misused when it comes to leaving for college. Perhaps a better phrase would be “being pushed out of the nest, praying that you have learned to fly.”
There are nine days left until I graduate from high school. Graduation is supposed to mark reaching some level of wisdom and maturity, becoming an independent adult. I, however, am hopelessly unprepared to leave high school.
I’ve always wanted to be older than I actually am. When I was 11 and a half years old, I made sure to tell everyone that I was “basically 12.” When I was a sophomore, I spent most of my time talking to seniors and absorbing myself in discussions of which college was the right fit. Instead, I should have been focusing on what clubs I was going to join in high school.
I’m slowly coming to the realization, however, that it’s okay to be a kid. I love watching Disney movies. I love having water gun fights with my 11 year old brother and I am hopelessly dependent on my mother. As passionate as I am about my major, I am not sure if that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life.
I try not to be rude or blunt, but frankly, I have no idea. As high school winds down, I hear my peers saying “I’m so done with high school.” I admit that phrase has left my mouth. Recently, however, I’ve been getting nostalgic about the memories I’ve made.
Being excited about college is good but minimizing our high school experience is not. Our past experiences have made us who we are today. We all set goals for college based on what we felt was missing from our past experiences: “I’ll be a nicer person, I’ll try out for the tennis team, I’ll stop procrastinating as much.”
Each of these changes cannot be made overnight. Instead of waiting until August or September to begin anew in a new location, we can make small changes to our daily lives. Whether it is saying hi to someone new in the hall or finally learning to play a new instrument, little actions can help us be the people we want to be.
So, I am not done with high school and I’m not having separation anxiety but I am nervous to leave. Holding onto our memories as we leave for college helps us put our best foot forward instead of forgetting the past as we move on.
