![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“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 its played such a major role in who Ive 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 Im [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)
![“[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)
![“Im 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 theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones 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)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent 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)
![“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)
Playful, persistent, the younger sibling prevails
The youngest sibling is usually the best-looking, the smartest and the rulebreaker. The first two are definitely true for all youngest siblings. The third one, not so much. Even if my sister makes a minor mistake, my parents become even more cautious about the things that I do. Even though there are so many more rules that I have to follow, I still believe being younger is much better. I receive all the help I could ever need, and I have a best friend for life.
As a younger sister, I basically have two closets. Of course I am the spoiled younger sibling, so I get to go shopping all the time. While I love shopping for my own clothes, I also enjoy receiving my sister’s stylish hand-me-downs. Whether I want to wear her outfit from last Monday or her favorite brown sweater, I can always find the outfit of my dreams in my sister’s closet. The pants might be a little too long or the shoes might be a bit too big, but that’s what safety pins and thick socks are for!
Another perk of being younger: my sister drives me everywhere. I can force her to take me to get food or just drive around for fun. If she doesn’t, I’ll just tell my mom! While having a personal chauffeur is nice, my favorite part is that I’m always on aux when she is driving. She is usually fine with my music, but when I’m feeling extra annoying, Taylor Swift is the way to go. She may say that younger siblings are bothersome, but we just have more fun.
As my sister’s time in high school is approaching its end, I worry about how lonely and bored I will be when she is away at college. As much as I like to deny it, I love spending time with my sister and cannot imagine my life without her.
Whenever I feel bored, my sister’s room is right around the corner. She is always there for me to talk to, and her bed is always there for me to jump on. Sometimes, I’ll talk endlessly about recent personal drama, and even though she always pretends like she is not listening, I know that she pays attention to everything. Occasionally, she’ll let me in on some of the drama in her grade which makes me feel super cool.
Being younger is not always as great as it seems, though. On the days that my sister is out with her friends or at musical rehearsal, I have nobody to talk to and nobody to annoy. Sometimes, I just sit on her bed and wait for her to come home. As my sister’s time in high school is approaching its end, I worry about how lonely and bored I will be when she is away at college. As much as I like to deny it, I love spending time with my sister and cannot imagine my life without her.
We definitely have our fair share of fights and disagreements, but there are so many great things about having an older sister. Even though she takes my favorite shirts and steals my snacks, I will always remember the gossip sessions and nighttime drives that we always go on. We argue about the most minor things almost every day, yet I am forever grateful that I have my older sister to support and guide me through life.