![Walking through the tunnel created by the cheerleaders and Celebrities, senior Frances Tran smiles as the soccer team is sent off during DEN for their playoff game against Rouse tonight. Tran said the wins against Smithson Valley and Alamo Heights gave the team a morale boost to take on the Raiders tonight. “I know we were not 100% confident in those games,” Tran said. “But, Rouse is a big opponent for sure. We’re definitely going into tonight with a lot of morale [because of the previous wins].”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/frances-tran.jpg)
![Holding a bucket of materials in one hand and a roll of tape in another, anatomy and biology teacher Tyler Terry prepares for a lab. Terry said his proudest moments are when his students are happy to see him. “When I take my wife to a football game or something and a bunch of students want to say hi to me or they like to smile and wave and it just makes me feel good that the students are really kind and supportive of me,” Terry said. “[I’m also] proud when I see students perform really well in their extracurriculars because I can see how hard they’re working in my classes, [so] when I see that they’re also working so hard in other things. Like they’re winning band competitions or they’re getting awards for their theater productions, or I see them put on their choir shows, that’s like, wow, you guys are incredible.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rags-6.png)
![Catching a ball, junior Alivia Robinson plays at the Cedar Park vs Glenn game. Having played since she was 5 years old, she is dedicated to softball and has committed to UTPB for softball. “When I got my offer it took me a very long time to decide where,” Robinson said. “Softball has always been my dream for college, and UTPB is my fit. When [I committed] I knew I was going to be loved and supported.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Lilly-Adams-3.13aliviaedit-901.jpg)
![Holding her dog, Nova, senior Ariana Balakrishnan poses for her senior pictures while Nova wears a bandana with her college decision. Balakrishnan applied to 18 colleges in total, but she decided on Columbia in the end. “Right before I clicked the button to open Columbia’s letter, I literally looked at the camera and go ‘This is just gonna really suck because I wanted it so bad,’ and I clicked it and all of a sudden you hear trumpets,” Balakrishnan said. “There’s a video that plays when you open it and I actually didn’t watch the video, I just watched the screen go black, because every day of December before ED [Early Decision] I would go on YouTube and watch the acceptance video to manifest it, so immediately when the screen went black, I started screaming and jumping up and down. And my parents in the video are like ‘What are you doing, where’s the letter,’ and I was just screaming ‘I got in, I got in.” I just started crying, and it just felt like everything in the world came together.”](https://cphswolfpack.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ariana-2-300x217.jpg)
When it comes to gift giving it’s been said that “it’s the thought that counts,” however I sometimes find myself wondering what exactly a well-meaning friend or family member was thinking when an awful neon orange and green polka-dot turtleneck, a pair of atrocious shoes better suited and my great-grandmother or tickets for that one band I liked when I was twelve are unwrapped. Not wanting to seem ungrateful, I accept the presents, knowing they will never be used or worn. Now that the holiday season has passed, it’s time to decide what to actually do with them. The obvious solution is to shove them in the closet for the rest of your life; however there are alternatives.
1. Sell it online
Auction sites like eBay are perfect solutions for ridding yourself of undesired gifts and making a bit of cash in the process. Chances are someone out there will actually want what you don’t and put it to good use. Make that sweater sound like the best gift out there: it’s not old, it’s vintage! Plus, with the money you’ve made you can take advantage of the post-holiday sales and buy something you really want.
2. Re-gift
Maybe that awful gift is perfect for another friend. Re-wrap it and happily give it away as if it was always meant for them. But there are several risks that accompany re-gifting. Make sure your recipient is not in the same circle of friends as the person who gave you the gift, as this makes it all too easy to be discovered. Don’t even try to re-gift novelty or one-of-a-kind gifts. Also, be sure to remove any gift tags addressed to you, and don’t attempt to give away personalized presents.
3. Ask for the receipt
But be courteous about it. If it’s an unbearable piece of clothing, simply say that it doesn’t quite fit. Then you can exchange it for something you’ll actually enjoy wearing. If a few weeks later your friend asks why you aren’t wearing that terrible sweater, tell them they were sold out, but that you still appreciate the gift.
4. Donate it
Contribute to a good cause by donating your presents to local charities, such as Goodwill. They will appreciate the gesture and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped someone in need.
No matter how you decide to rid yourself of well-meant but awful gifts, keep in mind that your friend has put time and effort into your gift, so be polite and appreciative. Nothing’s worse than a rude and ungrateful gift recipient. The holiday season is about the spirit of giving, so don’t ruin it for someone else when the New Year sheds light on their horrible decisions. If none of the above methods work out, wear or use the present just once to show the giver that you appreciate the gesture. After this you are free to never let that fuzzy disaster see the light of day again.
