![“[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)
Straight Talk: Taking a step back
I may have turned 17 in June, but I definitely had a 7-year-old’s summer.
Unlike many of my classmates, I wasn’t in a lab and I wasn’t taking courses for college credit. I was at summer camp.
Granted, I was on the counselor side of things, but I still had the full camp experience. Playing board games and making crafts became part of my daily routine, and the biggest conflicts arose when there weren’t enough puppets to go around.
It sounds trivial, year after year being a camp counselor is a highlight of my summer. It may be my job to have a positive impact on the kids’ lives, but they impact mine just as much.
Going home after camp wasn’t exactly relaxing because there was another (shorter, younger, and a bit furrier) ball of energy waiting for me at my front door every day. On June 21, my family adopted a three-month-old poodle-shih tzu puppy named Riley.
Even though he’s now a full six months old, he’s still a puppy. He thinks it’s fun to run behind our couch and play keep-away with socks, doesn’t always remember that fingers aren’t chew toys, and will roll over for a belly rub the minute anyone walks in the room. Puppy training is time and energy consuming, but for every scratch or bite, I’ve gotten more than my fair share of kisses and cuddles.
While mine may not have been a traditional rising-senior-at-a-college-prep-school summer, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Of course, there were plenty of lessons in leadership, responsibility, and compassion, but beyond those was a long overdue reminder to take a step back.
It’s so easy to get caught up in college apps and grades and everything that comes with them, that it’s hard to remember that while they’re important, these external measures of success are not everything.
There’s nothing like little kids and puppies to remind you that there’s no such thing as showing loved ones too much affection, that play should be on every day’s schedule, and that being really, really excited about the little things is totally justifiable.
Now, as I’m starting my senior year refreshed and relaxed (although not totally ready to be back), I’ll keep the summer’s reminders in the back of my mind. Regardless of how hectic this year may get, I can find solace in knowing that making friendship bracelets will always be a stress reliever and that unconditional puppy love will always make me feel better.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on August 29, 2014.
Sheridan Tobin is the co-Editor in Chief of The Winged Post. She is a senior and this is her fourth year on staff. She was the Global Editor and Opinion...