![“[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)
Heart of Harker: Wellness during shelter-in-place
May 28, 2020
We hope you are all doing well and wanted to remind you that we are still here and available to help support you however we can both through email and Zoom.
We all recognize what a difficult and challenging situation we are in. We have been sharing some tips with you each week and hope to highlight them for you here:
It is important to find a routine and keep to a schedule, both for your daily school routine and your sleep schedule. To practice good sleep hygiene, it’s important to go to sleep and wake up at about the same time everyday and to stay out of your bed throughout the day. During the weekdays you can follow the school day schedule by taking movement breaks during passing periods as well as lunch time connections with friends. And even though you may not have after school activities at this time, you can still take a break, grab a healthy snack and get creative by doing some- thing that brings a smile to your face.
Staying connected with our friends through FaceTime, Zoom Text or any other way is another important way to support ourselves through these times. Hopefully you have managed to find even more creative ways to connect like virtual yoga, baking together through Zoom and then sharing the baked goods by dropping them off at your friends’ door. Ever thought of trying a DoorDash pizza party? How about combining time outside while connecting with friends by doing a talk and walk down the block? Tap into that creativity again!
It is also important to stay connected with our family. Since sheltering in place is truly out of our control, we can all use this as an opportunity to connect or reconnect with our family by spending some quality time together. We are blessed to have more time for sit-down dinners so try to have fun by cooking a family meal together or support a local business by enjoying some take-out. But don’t stop with dinner. After dinner you can dust off those board games or watch a comedy series on Netflix.
Practicing self-care throughout your week is of the utmost importance. Try incorporating something new each day or each week. Self-care can be something different for everyone. What is important is to deliberately schedule some time out of your day to do something you enjoy and care for your body and soul. Exercise and meditation are great ways to go about self-care, but it can also be listening to music, playing an instrument, dancing it out, journaling, reading a book, doing some deep breathing, baking and getting creative in the kitchen, going for a bike ride, watching a comedy, going for a run, cuddling with a pet or watching some puppy videos on You- Tube. The possibilities are endless!
Most importantly, do not hesitate to reach out for support. Although not there physically, remember there are supports all around you. If you are finding yourself having a hard time with the adjustment to remote learning and sheltering at home, your teachers, your advisor and your counselor here at Harker are ready to support you when you reach out!
Access the counseling team’s wellness letters on Schoology.
This article was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on May 20, 2020.
