![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Reaching into the library bookshelf, I inhale the musty scent of old pages and glance at the title in my hand. A glossy book about the difficulties of retirement in 2025. With no knowledge of finance at all, this nonfiction explainer isn’t my usual style—but it seems extremely relevant to the economy today, so I shrug and put it in my bag along with the 10 other novels I’ve discovered in today’s haul.
Every week, I pay a visit to the library and browse the shelves. I don’t believe in overreliance on online book recommendations or in planning out what I’ll borrow ahead of time. Instead, I wander through the library completely blind, peering at book spines and wandering among catalogues of novels until I fill my bag. Through this method, I move past popularity or reputation to find hidden literary treasures.
In this same vein, I try to experiment with my hobbies and with what I do in every aspect of my life. I have acted as an egotistical shape-shifting older sister in a short film and chased leads at a local newspaper. From sewing stuffed animals and playing with dental blue lights, I am always open to new activities and obsessions.
A couple years ago, I spent the entirety of winter break trying to piece together a 500-piece puzzle with eyes closed while listening to all the Disney songs. I ended up ruining “Make a Man Out of You” forever, but I also greatly improved my pattern recognition, learning to understand puzzles logically and methodically.
I believe in trying new things consistently. There is no greater thrill in life than trying something unfamiliar, going somewhere unknown, eating something new and realizing that this is the best thing I have ever experienced.
Especially in high school, where the stakes for failure are so low compared to in adulthood, I want to take the opportunity to explore everything I can. Even if I end up not liking it, I always appreciate the experience for broadening my worldview, and I enjoy knowing myself so well. Through discovering the myriad of things that I like and dislike, I get to know myself and the environment around me.
I don’t believe in waiting till I have free time or I’m on vacation to explore new things. Life is full of wonder and surprises, and I just need to look a little closer to find them. How else would I learn about the effects of retirement policy on American economic growth, or uncover statistics about psychological disincentivization to save in 401ks?
