A glittering gold and black dress. A navy blue varsity bomber jacket with DECA printed across the top. A tan-colored Boy Scouts shirt covered in patches. A maroon crewneck, the back covered in illustrations of different small plays. All these clothing items make up the closet of Mariana Rai (12), each piece holding a special significance and memory. 

This year, wanting to delve into the behind the scenes of production, Mariana explored the world of directing through the Student Directed Showcase, where she chose a play called “Lockdown.” The show covers a group of students’ experience during a lockdown after a school shooter is reported on campus, a topic Mariana found both relevant and important to current day events. Because of the heavy nature of the topic, Mariana reflected on the most effective approach to convey the desired message. 

“For my show in particular, the difficulty was a lot of the heaviness, it was the message,” Mariana said. “How do I get across something controversial? How do I talk about a topic that the administration wants to keep swept under the rug? This is something that makes people uncomfortable. It is everyone’s worst nightmare, and I was doing it at a school. It was a lot about how would I get this across in a way that was actually going to culminate in a conversation and change things going forward, rather than dwell in the sadness.”

Apart from learning how to tackle the discomfort surrounding the topic of her show, Mariana found herself expanding her knowledge of directing and production in general. Throughout the year, she worked with each step of lighting, audio and design to create the final performance, a process she values immensely.  

“As a person, I learned a lot about myself in that process, about how to be a leader to my peers and also how to work on a project that would take almost six months,” Mariana said. “I felt a sense of accomplishment that if I hadn’t been a part of that process, I don’t think I would be able to push myself as far in the future. Having completed something to that extent, I felt like I could get through more. I’ve done a haul like this before, and I’m more set up for success, at least mentally going forward.”

Mariana acknowledges her limits, especially when schoolwork or other stressors interfere with maintaining the balance of her life. When she finds herself losing sight of her values and friendships, Mariana chooses to focus on the smaller moments that make her day, like interacting with those around her. 

“Yes, try everything, but also recognize when you need to step away,” Mariana said. “The endeavor of pushing yourself and trying to grow constantly is healthy only to the extent at which you’re not putting yourself in a position where you can’t grow anymore because you’re so burnt out. There’s a point when your connection with other people matters more than how much you can learn. Don’t sacrifice your small successes, even your major ones, for the small moments with your people.”

Close friend Arjun Gurjar (12), who met Mariana in 6th grade, frequently notices how she makes time to listen to others and their perspectives. He values her ability to create thoughtful relationships with different people and ensure she treats them with care. 

“One thing about Mariana that’s always been there is her ability to care for people and be considerate about them,” Arjun said. “Everything I see Mariana do I see her connecting with people around her and forming really meaningful bonds with many people. She’s always super considerate and emotionally thoughtful about what’s going on in their lives even when she may have a lot going on in hers.”

Sriram Bhimaraju (12) met Mariana in 6th grade in advisory when he was a new student to Harker. They quickly became friends and grew even closer in high school, which Sriram credits Mariana’s outgoing nature to.

“She doesn’t have very many inhibitions when it comes to making new friends,” Sriram said. “This year our lunch table group has expanded a lot because of Mariana partially or people in choir that I became friends with through her that I probably wouldn’t have interacted with that much if not for her. I really admire how much she values all the people around her and is really good at making friends and becoming close in special ways.”

For Mariana, these close connections and moments of bonding happen with her friends. Close friend Arjun Moogimane (12) appreciates Mariana’s spirit and enthusiasm that she shares with others. 

“She has a very infectious energy at times,” Arjun said. “Everybody’s got their tired days or slow days, and usually she’s able to inject a bunch of energy. The ability to bring some energy back into the group, even if it’s not super high, it makes it a little bit lighter.”

Regardless of where her new pursuits will take her, Mariana enjoys investing time in activities that give her satisfaction and allow her to build bonds with others. But when the time comes to branch out and try something new, she never backs down from the challenge. 

“I feel like something can only teach you so much,” Mariana said. “Personally, I like growing more holistically. I like being challenged, but also I like finding my safety zone. I keep with a lot of things that I find my safety zone in, and then I consistently try to sand down another edge in some sense by pushing myself. Everything cross applies, and when you stay in one niche, you don’t grow as much. You are more successful when you push yourself, and then you feel more confident.”