![“[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)
Amusing the audience with an array of improvisation games followed by an open mic session, the Harker Improv Troupe (HIT) held its second coffeehouse of the year in the Bistro Café on November 19 from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Similar to the structure of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” the HIT coffeehouse incorporated several improv games ranging from Freeze Tag and 185 Jokes to a dating show. The interactive aspect of the performance allowed audience members to suggest quirks for HIT members to portray based on the type of game. For instance, in the dating show, Samir Asthana (12) role-played “an agitated Buddhist monk” and Rahul Nalamasu (10), a “Satanic Mickey Mouse.”
“I think pretty much every time we perform, we always rock the stage,” HIT Captain Adi Parige (12) said. “What [co-captain] Julian [Wise (12)] and I both stress to the troupe is have fun, put yourself out there, really touch yourself, and beat those personal barriers—that’s what improv is all about. That’s what the troupe did today, and I’m really proud of them.”
During open mic, students shared their talents, including “The Tik Tak,” a band composed of Adi, Tariq Jahshan (11), and Kovid Puria (11), which performed The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood,” as well as Julian, who performed a modern rendition of a Romeo and Juliet monologue.
Lori Berenberg (10), who has seen HIT improve over time, loves the humor that typifies each coffeehouse.
“Coffeehouse in general is just really fun because I get to see not only improv troupe, but people who I would never have thought had such talent come out and play guitar, sing, or perform a monologue,” Lori said. “It’s a great experience to learn a little more about your classmates.”
Brian Larsen, Technical Director and HIT advisor, who also sometimes participates in the games and open mic, enjoys improvisation.
“I like the fact that [improv is] spontaneous,” Larsen said. “The kids do rehearse a little bit, but they have the opportunity to tend to be themselves and stretch […] their limits.”
Appreciating the close-knit ties between team members, HIT member Tina Crnko (11) enjoys her experience in the improv troupe.
“[In] improv, you’re free of any kind of judgment,” Tina said. “It’s just a safe space where everyone is family, you’re free to experiment with humor, see what works and what doesn’t, and really learn to be a part of a team—it’s a really fun place to be.”
