![“[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)
Super Bowl Sunday: 5 tips to help you maximize your watching experience
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will take on Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. Kickoff will be at 3:30 p.m. PST this Sunday.
February 5, 2021
With COVID-19 forcing both friends and family alike to remain separated from one another, sports like football continue to behave as a uniting influence, bringing the spirits of fans all around the country together. Unfortunately this year, it’s impossible to engage in the typical popcorn-tossing and animated debates so prevalent among Super Bowl parties, but have no fear! Harker Aquila is here – to provide you with some tips to help maximize your Super Bowl watching experience!
Tip #1: Host a Zoom Watch Party
- Invite your friends and family to one big Zoom watch party so everybody can watch the game and halftime together. If your watch group is comprised of some hardcore fans, feel free to isolate them all together into a single breakout room. If it turns out to be a pretty lopsided game, just remember – both Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes are generational talents and any one of them can easily come back from, shall we say a, 28-3 deficit.
Tip #2: Play Madden Online
- Set the game to the Super Bowl matchup – or if you’re like me and you’ve already played the matchup several times, choose a different playoff matchup (I recommend the Packers vs Bills).
Tip #3: Rank Your Favorite Ads
- The Super Bowl is pretty notorious for having the best game-day ads so compile a list of your favorite ones and compare them to a list of all-time-favorite Super Bowl ads. If you don’t remember any from years past, check out this article for a quick refresher (scroll down to the middle).
Tip #4: Make Predictions
- No Super Bowl experience is complete without having some friendly competition. Predict who you think will win the championship as well as which player will take home the Super Bowl MVP trophy. Don’t forget to gloat to any of your doubter friends and family when your prediction comes true!
Tip #5: Family Bonding
- Another major part of every Super Bowl Sunday is the food. Get yourself in the kitchen and get cookin’ with your family to make some fresh snacks for during the game! If you want, set up a friendly competition between every member of your watch group to see who can make the best Super Bowl treat.
