![“[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)
Humans of Harker: Joyce Zhao learns to love art and music
“Both art and music started out as such a chore, but I really started to enjoy it, and it became a way for me to relieve stress instead of creating more stress. It’s just really helpful, and there are some times when painting and playing music have helped me so much, and I don’t know what I would have done without them,” Joyce Zhao (12) said.
March 8, 2017
As an artist, Joyce Zhao (12) has painted everything from flowers to animals to buildings, using a brushes, paints and paper to bring various scenes to life. And of all the things that she has painted, there is one specific type of painting that Joyce enjoys the most: landscapes.
“With the skies, you can incorporate so many colors, and with mountains, you get to blend different colors,” Joyce said. “That’s why I’m more drawn to painting landscapes.”
Despite spending some of her early years as a painter without fully enjoying art, Joyce has grown to appreciate the accomplishment and pride that she feels after finishing a painting as well as the ability to express herself.
“The end result is really beautiful and rewarding because you have something tangible where you can say, ‘Wow, I made this. This is a product of my hard work,’” Joyce said. “It also helps me to put my emotions on paper.”
As she progressed through high school, Joyce found that both painting and playing an instrument, two hobbies that once felt like burdens and sources of extra stress, have in fact helped her relax amidst school-driven stress.
“Both art and music started out as such a chore, but I really started to enjoy it, and it became a way for me to relieve stress instead of creating more stress,” Joyce said. “It’s just really helpful, and there are some times when painting and playing music have helped me so much, and I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
As she explored her burgeoning passions for art and music, Joyce decided to try a new instrument, choosing the trumpet due to its ability to play a wide range of notes despite its simple design.
“I’d played the piano, and I just wanted to try a new instrument,” Joyce said. “The trumpet just seemed really cool because it had three valves, but it could play so many notes and make so many different sounds.”
While she continued to play recreationally, Joyce truly found the motivation to improve and practice regularly when she joined the upper school orchestra.
“I wasn’t as motivated before, but orchestra really motivated me to play better,” Joyce said. “I realized that sure, at the beginning, it doesn’t sound good, but by the time of our performances, we always manage to sound really great.”
Orchestra also helped Joyce form lasting bonds with some of her older peers. As a freshman, she was at first reluctant to interact with the upperclassmen she met, but practicing and performing together helped her grow closer with her fellow students and make new friends.
“As a freshman, I was scared of the upperclassmen [in orchestra], but now I’m a senior, and I have friends who graduated before me,” Joyce said. “[Being in orchestra] was a really nice way to get to know new people, and it was a really good community.”
As a college-bound senior, Joyce hopes that underclassmen will remember her as someone who was open and friendly, just as she recalls her own older friends from orchestra for welcoming her.
“I hope they remember me as a friend and someone they could talk to because I really do enjoy interacting with people,” Joyce said.
As she prepares to leave high school behind, Joyce has begun to reflect on all that she has learned during her last four years of high school. Apart from learning to love art and music, she also feels as though she has found her own voice.
“I think in high school, it really opens your eyes to what society really is like, and you finally know enough to develop your own ideas and opinions, and I think that’s really helped me,” Joyce said.
