![“[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)
Social ways to stay fit
Flickr
A climber scales a wall at Planet Granite. The center offers members its rock climbing facilities and holds introductory lessons for beginners. Fee for membership can be paid monthly or yearly.
With summer vacation rounding the corner, the Bay Area has become a hub for social fitness, with a variety of facilities to stay stress-free and social while burning off calories during the warm summer months.
Group Hikes
The Upper School hiking club offers social fitness to its members, who spend nippy mornings hiking up Mission Peak and other Bay Area trails. In conversing with friends, watching the sunrise, warming up the muscles, and building up core strength, organized hikes, walks, or runs are an easy avenue to stay connected with friends when school is out of session.
The hiking club is one of the many fitness activities students participate in. Read more about Upper Schoolers exercising outside the realm of organized sports.
Organized Programs
For those eager to meet a new network of friends, the South Bay holds a variety of options for organized classes such as dance fitness and rock climbing.
Planet Granite is a facility for climbing, yoga, and general fitness. Located in Sunnyvale, it offers group lessons and one-on-one sessions for newcomers and experienced athletes alike. Membership dues can be paid on a monthly basis, to account for only the summer months before busy schedules take priority.
Other centers for dance fitness such as Zumba classes include The Rhythm Attic, which holds classes for all ages Monday-Saturday; The Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC), which offers tennis and swim sessions as well as community events; and Vision Dance and Pilates, which offers pilates, Zumba, and hip hop, among other dance styles.
Online Initiatives
Online fitness initiatives are gaining traction, with people all over the world connecting through online links. On the list of popular fitness websites is Blogilates, a pop pilates website that features video tutorials, blog posts,workout calendars, meal recipes, and a store for sports clothing and equipment.
A Facebook group entitled “30 Day Ab Challenge for those who need some motivation like me” has students signing up to follow a workout calendar with sit-ups, crunches, leg raises, and plank exercises to strengthen their cores. The event’s calendar officially kicks off with the first day of the workout this Sunday.
Vasudha Rengarajan is the Editor-in-Chief of Harker Aquila. As former Features editor and Sports editor for Aquila and a reporter for The Winged Post,...