![“[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)
Tips for post-holiday blues
Even the best of us can fall into a slump right after the holiday season, a period where even the thought of homework is too unappealing to bear and the thought of actually doing it sends you spiraling. So here are a few tips to follow for whenever you find yourself experiencing post-holiday blues:
Do something nice for your friends. If it’s their birthday, make them a card. If you don’t see yourself as an artistic person, get them some cupcakes or balloons as a surprise. Not only does it serve as a fun activity to temporarily get your mind off school and work, but it will make you and your friend happy. On regular days, even the little things can make a difference: waiting for them after class if you usually don’t, grabbing them a chocolate chip cookie when you realize there are only a couple left, or turning in their homework with yours so they don’t have to walk over. Even if they don’t seem to notice, maintaining that holiday giving spirit and doing something nice for someone else will likely make you feel a little better too.
Get rid of distractions. When you’re not in the mood to do work but still have to, use websites and apps, such as StayFocusd, SelfControl, or ColdTurkey, to block other websites for a specified period of time. Move to a quiet space to work, turn your phone off, and sign out of Facebook: it’s much easier to restrain yourself from slipping back into holiday mode if your choices for the afternoon are either doing homework or twiddling your thumbs.
Take a day off. Get your homework done early and take a day to relax. Pretend it’s still winter vacation and watch TV, read a book, movie-hop at the nearest AMC, run a marathon, or even do math homework, if that’s what you like to use as a de-stresser. It’ll make you more relaxed that day, and you’ll go to school the next day feeling a little less cranky and hopefully slightly more willing to work.
Pick a weekend to sleep in. Admittedly, this isn’t for everyone. While some people are perfectly fine with hibernating for 10-15 hours a day, others prefer to wake with the sun and stick to their five to nine hours. If you’re someone who’s always asking for “just a few more minutes,” free up a weekend morning to sleep in. Don’t ditch the SAT or a meeting with the President or anything, but if the world seems to be crashing down around you, see if there’s something you can move around on the weekend to catch up on sleep.
This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on Jan. 28.
Sahana Srinivasan (12) is the Editor-in-Chief of the Winged Post and Wingspan, having previously served as Managing Editor, Asst. STEM Editor and a reporter....