![“[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)
Fall Equinox brings transitions in nature and fashion
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The distinct changes in nature are a defining aspect of the fall season. “I like fall because the leaves are pretty,” sophomore Rahul Goyal said.
September 22, 2016
With high temperatures throughout the Bay Area, the fall equinox seems out of place.
Today, Sept. 22, summer will be officially over, which means so are the summer fashions. If you want to stay on trend switch your flip flops for boots, and your tank tops for sweaters.
An equinox is either of the two times each year when the sun crosses the equator, and day and night are of approximately equal length around the world. In simpler terms, the autumn equinox indicates when the season changes from summer to fall.
While UGG season is around the corner and pumpkin spice lattes are being bought by the dozen, some students anticipate the more nature-oriented aspects of autumn. Every year, Rahul Goyal (10) looks forward to the leaves changing.
Although the temperature outside might not match the time of year just yet, old fall trends have returned. Since autumn brings about lower temperatures and strong breezes it’s now time to pull out the warm clothes and get ready for some cool weather.
In addition to the colors of nature transitioning, people also look forward to new fashion trends.
“I like fall fashion, because I can pair a crop top with a flannel over it, and that looks really good,” Adhya Hoskote (9) said.
While people love to mix up their fashion choices based on the season, other students tend to stick with their everyday outfit.
“I always wear polos. I have eight polo shirts for the week, and I just cycle through them,” Shafieen Ibrahim (10) said .
Although trends change from year to year, but there are always styles that remain the same. Similar to last fall, expect to see darker shades of lipstick and clothes in colors such as maroon and dark purple.
Olivia Esparza (10) models a dark sports jacket from Pink as well as jeans. Students begin to wear longer sleeves and pants as the temperatures drop.
“My favorite part is wearing beanies and gloves to protect myself from the cold. I also love wearing dresses with tights and boots with scarves,” Krishna Bheda (11) said.
An important part of autumn are also the holidays- which mean days off from school and time to spend with family and friends.
“There’s Halloween and Thanksgiving, and those are just the best. I like to spend Thanksgiving with my family eating lots of food and for Halloween I usually watch a movie and eat a lot of candy with my closest friends,” Adhya said.
So get your jackets and boots out, and get ready for fall!
