![“[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)
Denim for days: Jeans hit the campus catwalk!
September 28, 2021
Denim has come a long way from being the sturdy pant material of choice for gold miners in the mid-eighteenth century. The fabric is now so pervasive that not wearing denim is an identifying personality trait. Though traditionally made with stiff denim fabric, many jeans now incorporate cotton and other softer materials for maximal comfort for students to wear during the school day. Jean styles also evolve with fashion and fads, as seen by the rise of bell-bottoms during the 70s, skinny jeans during the late 2000s and currently, mom and straight-cut jeans.
From the low-rise flared pairs that run rampant throughout “Mean Girls” to the belted white-washed ones in this year’s Schiaparelli spring collection, jeans inspire a cult-like obsession in the average teenager and certainly among Harker students as well. Explore the variety of jean styles that students love and wear around campus as well as the great ripped versus unripped jeans controversy.
Claire Su (10) enjoys finding her perfect pair of jeans, preferably ripped, at Abercrombie & Fitch since the store provides a wide variety of styles and sizes.
“My go-to jean style is probably skinny jeans and cuffed at the ends,” said Claire, who wore black skinny jeans with a pair of black Converse.
Alan Jiang (11) sports a pair of relaxed-fit jeans with zippers on the side pockets. The navy wash and straight cut can be paired with a variety of outfits.
“Baggy jeans [are my go-to],” Alan said. “I don’t like things that are too tight, too skinny on me.”
Melody Yin (9) dons a pair of mom jeans in a light-gray wash. The loose fit and high waist of mom jeans have made them increasingly popular in recent years.
“I prefer looser jeans because they’re just easier to move around in,” Melody said.
Joelle Weng (10) poses in a pair of faded black jeans with a fit that falls straight from her knee to ankle. An avid thrifter, Joelle looks for jeans with unique details to upcycle and breathe life into.
“My favorite pair of jeans is a blue medium wash that I got from my father because he never wears them,” Joelle said. “I do visit Goodwill a lot because it’s just fun discovering how [an item] lived a life, even though you don’t know its history, and giving it a new life.”
Alexa Lowe (12) jazzes up a pair of sturdy faded blue skinny jeans with small touches of fashionably tattered hems and embroidered designs of cacti.
Jackson Lara (10) sports baggy stone-washed jeans in a dark wash. His daily uniform involves a pair of these comfy jeans paired with an eye-catching T-shirt.
Anjali Yamasani (12) walks the line between fashion and functionality in relaxed-fit cargo pants, with embroidery on the seams and signature side pockets.
