![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)
The main problem with Valentine’s Day is the gift selection process, especially when it is exceptionally easy to fall into the black hole of cliché gifts advertised everywhere. The gifts for girls generally include the typical flower bouquet, the heart shaped chocolate and the candy hearts with the love messages on them. Boy’s rarely get anything besides cologne. The simplest way to fix the cliché gift problem may be easier than previously believed to be. There are plenty of shops, which only exist in Austin, that offer original, one-of-a-kind items.
1020 Glass Art and Gifts and is located in Barton Creek Square Mall. This non-chain store specializes in hand blown glass. A great gift idea for your girlfriend is a vase from this store. Simply buy her favorite flowers and put them in one of these beautifully handcrafted vases. The flowers will eventually wilt, but she can keep the vase forever.
Waterloo Records is a record and video shop located on 600A North Lamar. They sell all kinds of CD’s, but what makes it unique is that they have lots of music from local artists that can only be purchased there. Music can be a great gift for both boys and girls. You may end up discovering an excellent local band or artist and have an excuse to take your loved one to a concert at a local venue you would never have gone to otherwise.
Lammes Candies is located in nine places in Austin. This shop is famous for its “Texas Chewy” Pecan Pralines, but the “Longhorns” has recently been a bestseller. However, the popular “Peppermint Kisses” would definitely be an appropriate Valentine’s Day gift. These are all great gifts for boyfriends or girlfriends. Lammes will even gift wrap you selection in free seasonal wrapping paper.
Sue Patrick has been a family owned Austin specialty store since 1975. Located at 5222 Burnet Road, Sue Patrick is officially licensed for University of Texas ladies apparel. It has other excellent gift ideas too; shirts, shoes, jackets and jewelry, all can have some sort of University of Texas feel. Ties in particular have a wide variety of longhorn selection. In case your loved one isn’t too crazy about UT, they have an assortment of regular items as well.
You can always treat your loved one to dinner at The Salt Lick, located in four locations in Austin. This local barbeque restaurant has been opened since 1969. You can also get gift cards there. Who knows, it could very likely be you that your boy or girlfriend may choose to splurge his or her card on!
