![“[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)
I often forget how much my parents do for me.
On top of working countless hours five days a week, my mom accompanies me to all of my activities whether that be going to volleyball practice or going to the mall on a Sunday afternoon. My dad works out of town and flies home every weekend just to spend his extra time with me.
So, when my parents asked me if I wished to celebrate my 16th birthday with a lavish party and multiple-digit expenditures, I declined not because of my reluctance to throw one but because of my appreciation for all that I have already.
A typical day for me starts off a little like this. 6:30 a.m. My alarm clock goes off to the harmonious voices of the Script’s “For the First Time.” At that moment, however, I hit the snooze button, hoping I have turned it off for the last time. I finally lug myself out of bed by 7 a.m. and after preparing myself for school, I find breakfast and a warm cup of green tea awaiting me at the kitchen table.
I then go to school and attend my classes and spend time with my friends. It’s pretty routine. When I climb into the car after a long day, there will be chopped fruit that my mom had prepared for me in case I’m hungry or occasionally there will be her lunch that she hadn’t eaten in case I’m starving.
With just my mom and me in the house on the weekdays, we accompany each other in everything. When it’s 9 p.m. and we forget to pick up the mail, we’ll go together to overcome our fear of the dark. When it’s 10 p.m. and she struggles to check her email due to the superfluous number of pop up ads, I’ll take a break from my studies and check it for her. When it’s 11 p.m. and I’m not close to finishing homework, she’ll make me a cup of coffee to help me last throughout the rest of the night.
My dad, the more reserved type, expresses his love implicitly. When he comes home on Friday nights, he’ll ask if my printer has run out of ink (which it does often) and offers to replace it for me. He’ll ask if I’ve splurged this past week and offers to transfer more money onto my debit card. He’ll ask, while going through the Costco coupon book, if I need specific items and regardless of my response, buys them anyways thinking that sometime in the future they’ll be handy.
Eleven-year-old me would have begun planning a sweet 16 bash immediately after the topic was brought up. But in retrospect, the only plausible way to thank my parents is to spend my special day with them.
So, my “sweet 16” is in two days, and how will I celebrate it? By sleeping until 10 a.m. in the warm solace of my bed, by eating brunch with my parents at our favorite café, and by shopping with my mom in downtown Los Gatos (refer to the review on boutiques in the Lifestyle section – trust me, there are some pretty unique stores out there).
