![“[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)
5 tips to survive Black Friday this year
Wikimedia Commons
Spend your Thanksgiving with what really warms your heart this holiday season–unbridled capitalism!
It’s Thanksgiving night, and while the rest of your awkward dinner party’s attendants yawn and rub their eyes, you’re preparing for battle. Black Friday is just around the corner, and if the holidays are supposed to celebrate one thing, it’s capitalism. You can be thankful after your new X-Box is sitting snugly in front of a brand new 60-inch flat screen.
Here are a few Black Friday survival tips to help you catch the best deals:
The Classic: “My friend’s waiting at the front!”
Let’s be real – it’s 6 a.m., your limbs are aching from the cornucopia of merchandise piled on top of you, and you’re kind of regretting that last piece of pumpkin pie. Do you really have the patience to stand in a line for three hours? Of course not! As you shuffle resentfully towards the end of the line, pretend to see your dearest friend near the front. Make sure to gesture wildly and pointedly shout to ensure full deception. Even though no one is actually waiting for you at the front, the thrill of the unknown will exponentially amplify your Black Friday shopping experience. Just don’t break the act – the second your fellow customers smell fear, they’ll boot you to the back.
The Herd
All your life you’ve been told be yourself: to be unique and stand up against the crowd. Throw all of that out the door on Black Friday, or risk never getting through one. Trample or be trampled. Welcome to the real world.
The Diversion
It’s right there. That sweater you’ve been eyeing for the past two months, and now it can be all yours for $6.99. But just as you take a deep breath of the stiflingly commercial air, preparing yourself to grab the last one, you see another set of fingers shooting towards it. What to do? Create a diversion. Studies show that the most effective methods include squawking in a loud, parrot-like fashion or pushing over the adjacent rack of clothing (as long as it topples completely over, and you can handle the death glares of employees faintly resemebling zombies).
An example has been provided below.
Tech Me Out
Forget pumpkins and cranberries during the holiday season – the real star is Apple, and Black Friday is your perfect opportunity to pluck the fruits of capitalism. So what, you already have an iPhone 6 Plus and an iPad. The holidays are all about family, and an iPad mini would be the perfect addition to your power couple. Bonus tip: hit up Samsung on the way to fill your pockets with even more products that won’t fit in one hand.
The Crew
Ever enter a shop fiercely determined not to lose your friends, only to be abandoned after lingering at a certain display for a millisecond too long? Fasten your friends to a leash (hopefully not unbeknownst to them) fashioned into a stylish belt. They’ll never escape, and now your crew can easily navigate through crowds of people as they sail the seas of materialism.
Tiara Bhatacharya is the Opinion editor for Harker Aquila. She is a senior and has been part of the journalism program since her sophomore year. Her favorite...