![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“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 its played such a major role in who Ive 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 Im [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)
![“[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)
![“Im 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 theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones 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)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent 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)
![“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)
Three… two… one… “Happy New Year’s!” As 2012 approaches, we would like to propose some New Year’s resolutions for our school community to try out. Here they are, from the light-hearted to the serious:
1. Practice positivity. Each thought is a choice, so why not pick the optimistic thought over the pessimistic one? Here’s one practical, simple idea: each day, before you go to sleep, make a list of ten things you are grateful for. Later looking over notes like “the best inside jokes” or “touchdown!!” will definitely make you smile.
2. Support each other. To be honest, many of us are stressed for great portions of the school year, but let us avoid complete complacency. Maybe once a week, make it a mission to chat with a friend and see how they’re feeling about things. Just remind him or her that you are there for support and a quick, stress-relieving Starbucks run. It can make all the difference to someone feeling the pressure.
3. Stay vigilant. If you see an act of vandalism or suspect someone of vandalism, report it immediately. Don’t worry–if your suspect isn’t guilty, they’ll emerge unscathed and with no hard feelings, because they’ll have read this editorial and understood what needs to be done.
4. This, too, shall pass. Remember that, no matter what stress faces you, time will go on and you will be finished with that paper/college applications/drama/feeling under the weather before long. Keep the grand scale in perspective, and be unafraid to seek help if it seems that “this” will not pass–it’s okay to not know the solutions to every problem.
5. Pride in The Edge. Why not pick up a piece of someone else’s trash after lunch and take it in? Let’s work together to amend our collective faults.
6. Prioritize sleep. It will truly make you happier, healthier, and a better student. You won’t believe it until you see it, so we triple-dog-dare you to.
7. Get to know someone in real life. Funnily enough, we all have that person on our chat list whom we talk to for hours online but never speak to at school. A simple “hi” in the hallway could be the first step to a great, real friendship.
8. Have fun weekends. Life is boring: eat, sleep, study, Facebook. Not! From just painting your nails a bright color to playing a new video game, exert the energy to plan for fun. If you’re really adventurous, browse local event listings online and gather up a few friends for an outing. Effort pays off.
9. Spirit. Drag your feet. Join the crowd for five minutes. Feel the contagion. Rinse and repeat until you find yourself leading a team of crazy people in Spirit Week competitions.
10. Unstick yourself. A wise person once said, “If you feel stuck in one part of your life, change something in a totally different part of your life.” What can you change?
11. Appreciate your seniors. If you’ve been dying to ask a 2012-er for advice, go for it–Facebook stalking them when they’re at college won’t be quite the same. Second semester will fly by, so get on it!
12. Make your own resolutions. Start out by entertaining the notion of “what if.” For example, “What if I wrote an e-mail to President Obama every day until I got an internship?” See which ones strike your fancy, and resolve to do them. You have nothing to lose, so here’s to a new year full of adventure and growth for our entire community.
