![“[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)
Destress Week, organized by Harker Spirit Leadership Team’s Flight Crew, provided students with a variety of lunchtime activities from Dec. 2 to Dec. 5.
Students helped themselves to hot cocoa and marshmallows supplied by the kitchen staff in front of Manzanita Hall on Dec. 2. Along with the warm drinks, some students colored snowmen, snowflakes and polar bears on a large winter-themed banner with paint markers.
Sophomore Lemeng Kong worked on the banner with friends and expressed her appreciation for the chance to unwind.
“It’s really relaxing to just color things,” Lemeng said. “Art is always something that really immerses us and makes us move away from the stressful aspects of life, especially around finals season.”
Students competed in casual badminton matches in the quad on Dec. 3. HSLT partnered with Badminton Club to acquire the birdies, nets and rackets for the activity.
Flight crew member Leana Zhou (11) hoped that the event temporarily shifted students’ attention away from academics by directing their energy into sports.
“Finals are coming up and everyone is really tense,” Leana said. “Badminton gets your blood flowing and helps you focus on competition in badminton rather than competition with grades. Having casual lunchtime activities to make you feel a bit better and enjoy life is a really good idea.”
Dress to Destress encouraged students to express themselves through fashion and showcase their style in front of Manzanita Hall on Dec 4. Students checked in and received a front-of-the-lunchline pass for participating. HSLT hosted a slime-making station with over 25 colors and charms on Dec. 5. Students made slime with glue and activator and stored their creations in ziploc bags to keep as fidget toys.
Flight Crew member Ameera Ramzan (10) reflected on the success of the week and its impact on students.
“Especially with the intense environment of finals, stress relief is important to prevent burnout,” Ameera said. “I hope students could find at least one event that they enjoyed, whether that be having some hot chocolate, coloring our poster, playing badminton, dressing in a creative outfit or making slime.”
