![“[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)
Talk around campus: Favorite study spots
From the library to the orchard to all the different academic buildings, the upper school campus offers a variety of places for students to work and study during the day. Whether you’re looking for a quieter or chattier environment, outside or inside, be sure to check out the opinions of four students, Sonya Apsey (11), Daniel Lin (11), Michelle Jin (12) and Namrata Karra (12), to hear about the best study spots around campus.
Sonya Apsey (11)
My favorite spot to study on campus is actually the orchard where we are now. I like to come here during office hours, especially because it’s pretty close to Dobbins and Nichols where I mainly need the most help. So if I’m ever struggling with some homework, I can always pop into either one of my teachers’ classrooms, just get a helping hand, especially with that. And it’s also just nice to have fresh air, and I can see people say ‘hi,’ and also I’m able to focus here.
Daniel Lin (11)
This table we’re sitting at right now is my favorite study spot because, well, you have the nice shade, you have the nice background noise of the water over there. It’s generally very quiet. And yeah, I really like the outside environment. So I like to come here basically every day during my free periods and such, generally very quiet.
Michelle Jin (12)
My favorite study spot on campus is the library because it’s really quiet and I’m able to focus on my work. I also like it because it’s always open from 7:30 to 6 p.m. It’s a very common study spot, so if you need help, you can always find someone in your class to work on problems and other homework assignments.
Namrata Karra (12)
My favorite study spot is Shah because I really like the diverse community that it brings. I feel like because there’s both desks as well as sofas you can do whatever you prefer based on your mood. And also it’s a very friendly community. A lot of my senior friends come here to either do apps or to work on any last minute homework assignments which is always really fun, and everyone helps each other. There’s the foosball table outside of Shah, which we play sometimes during the breaks in my classes and also during lunch. I think Shah should be primarily for seniors, because we’ve worked really hard and I think it’s a nice spot to study.
Selina Xu (12) is a co-managing editor for Harker Aquila, and this is her fourth year on staff. This year, Selina hopes to hold engaging conversations...
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