![“[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)
Parking your privilege: class of 2016 acquires open campus rights for rest of year
March 3, 2016
Last year, the class of 2016- toiling, sleep-deprived juniors at the time- watched in envy as their seniors were able to leave campus whenever they pleased. Now, approaching their final few months of high school, it’s finally time for the class of 2016 to take advantage of their well-deserved senior privileges.
The primary benefit offered to seniors is the off-campus privilege. While before, the students were required to remain on campus until their last free period or after-school dismissal time, seniors who have parental approval are now allowed to leave school grounds before classes end.
Seniors will receive a special identification card that they must show security before leaving campus during break, lunch, or class time. They are permitted to return at any time.
“I’m going to go off campus to get lunch with friends or to hang out somewhere,” Raghav Jain (12) said. “For something quick, maybe Starbucks, but if we have long lunch, we would have time to go to a sit-down place.”
While many seniors plan on taking advantage of the benefit, several prefer to not leave school grounds and will continue to stay on campus during the academic day and eat school-provided lunches.
“I probably won’t use [the privilege] too much because I am pretty satisfied with Harker food and my schedule is not conducive towards leaving campus to hang out or eat food,” said senior Kevina Xiao.
Dr. Matthew Harley, dean of the class of 2016, explained why administration grants seniors with this privilege of increased freedom.
“We keep [the privilege] to reward the class for doing well and the class has indeed earned this privilege,” he said.“It’s a nice transition into adulthood and they don’t have to be here, under our eye all the time, because we trust them to be off-campus on their own.”
Next year’s seniors, the class of 2017, will have access to the off-campus privilege after Thanksgiving. This is due to the fact that they will not be able to park on campus because of the construction going on for the new events center.
Junior Noa Sasson expressed her thoughts about receiving the senior privilege in the first semester rather than the second.
“I think that it’s nice that they’re trying to make it better for us since we lost our parking for next year,” she said. “But I’m not sure how it will be useful because we can’t easily get to our cars anyways, so we’re only limited to the shops across the street.”
The class trip at the end of the year and the visit to Disneyland are also considered senior privileges. This year, the class of 2016 will go on the annual Laguna Beach trip from May 14 to May 17, and they will also take a one-day excursion to Disneyland during the trip.
During long free periods and Wednesday lunches, there’s an abundance of time to spare and places to go. Here are a few spots to hang out at within a fifteen-minute drive off campus:
1. Music Tunnel KTV Cafe
A four mile drive from the campus, this spot functions as both a restaurant and an all-ages karaoke lounge with private rooms. The cafe offers milk tea and a variety of other menu choices including Chinese cuisine, and customers interested in karaoke can select from a large collection of numbers from Billboard Top 100 songs to classic Disney tunes.
2. Falafel Drive-in
Seven minutes away from campus by car, roadside eatery Falafel Drive-in serves delicious Middle Eastern cuisine and offers both vegan and vegetarian options. This take-out restaurant is Zagat-rated as the best falafel spot in San Jose and was even featured on Guy Fieri’s Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.
3. Golfland
For seniors and elementary schoolers alike, mini golfing is a simple yet entertaining way to just kick back and relax with friends. Whether it’s for a lunchtime date or a group outing during free period, Golfland’s five mile distance from campus and it’s general emptiness on weekdays makes it the ideal spot to hang out at.
4. Santouka Ramen
Those looking for an authentic Ramen experience won’t have to look further than Santouka Ramen in the Mitsuwa Supermarket, less than half a mile away from campus. The restaurant has a small but traditional-style Japanese menu offering spicy, miso, and salted ramen flavors, as well as a variety of simple dishes like soy-sauce eggs and sliced pork.
5. Tacos Santiaguito
Four and a half stars on Yelp, T.0acos Santiaguito is said to have some of the best tacos in Northern California. It is a Mexican food truck often parked at the Shell gas station near Moorpark avenue. They offer an assortment of tacos including pollo, buche, asada and chorizo varieties. In addition to these, the chefs make different types of enchiladas and burritos.
6. Jessy’s Cupcakes
A perfect spot for anyone with a sweet tooth, the menu of this bakery includes an array of unique, delectable cupcakes all the way from maple-bacon to classic red velvet. Each individual cupcake is homemade, and gluten-free alternatives are also available. Furthermore, it only takes a quick five minute drive off campus grounds to enjoy what this dessert shop has to offer.
This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on March 2, 2016
