March 2026

They Called It Puppy Love

Students share complicated experiences of dating in high school

Pages 6-9

Hawk

Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville. Texas 78660 Volume 19, Issue 5 March 13, 2026

In this Issue...

BPA Advances

Page 4

Staff Shares Heartbreak Page 8

Fun First Date Ideas Page 12

2 Our Turn Opinions Volume 19, Issue 5

Hit or Miss

Editor reflects on how to find,maintain healthy relationships Three Spirit Weeks in row Natalia Beltran | Editor excessive, less than spirited Life is a strange place to end up in. Every glance and pivot tend to overlook or even avoid, is communication. I’ve you take, there’s someone you’ve never met in the days gone by, with commotion and reckless noise coming from every corner. So how do I know which pivot to take, and which glances should last longer than just an average one?

Specifically in high school, It feels like everyone is trying to figure out where they all belong at once. In the middle of all this commotion, I’ve managed to lose and gain numerous people. Something I’ve noticed is that the most valuable and healthy people you’ll ever meet will come from a place of unfamiliarity in your mind, without a search. I’ve spent my days trying to delve into scenes where I don’t belong, just to make friends or relationships.

The truth is, when you go out of your way to seek relationships, it almost always never works out. I realized that I cannot stop the commotion, but instead I need to work alongside it and let it guide me to the correct crowd.

This is because when desperation seeks security in another individual, it becomes an attachment rather than a relationship. A relationship means to show love and work alongside each other’s two separate lives, unlike a leech attached to its prey.

When you’ve finally found the person for you, it often feels as if you’re both walking on soft clouds, completely carefree and untouched by the worries of the world.

Everything seems easy, natural, exciting, as if nothing could possibly disrupt the happiness you’ve found. However, over the past few years I’ve come to realize that every relationship, no matter how strong it may seem, is bound to encounter its share of thunderstorms. Disagreements, misunderstandings, and difficult moments are inevitable, and sometimes you may not know where the problem even began or how to fix it. One solution many people

learned that making communication a priority can change the entire direction of a difficult moment in a relationship.

When something feels wrong, I speak honestly with my partner and listen just as carefully in return, until we both feel understood and at peace.

Another way I’ve been able to maintain a healthy relationship is by ensuring that we go on frequent hangouts or dates. It’s a simple and natural way to nurture a healthy relationship by providing a fun and relaxed atmosphere, while also opening the doors to learning more about your partner over time. Time spent together outside of the usual routine allows both people to feel appreciated and valued. We usually plan out our hangouts together so we can both enjoy doing something that we genuinely love, whether it’s something small and simple or something more exciting.

In the end, relationships and friendships are not something that can be forced, rushed, or perfect all the time. Life, especially during high school, is filled with noise, movement, and constant change as everyone searches for where they belong. Through all of that commotion, I’ve learned that the most meaningful connections tend to appear when you least expect them. The key is not to act out of desperation, but allowing your relationship to develop naturally while staying true to yourself. When the right people enter your life, maintaining those relationships takes effort, communication, quality time, and mutual respect. In a world that constantly feels loud and uncertain, the right relationships bring a sense of peace, reminding us that sometimes the best things in life come when you simply allow them to.

The last three before spring have been filled with daily spirit clothing commands, and styles for people. Teen Dating Violence Awareness, Best Buddies, and the lip dub have been the spirit week leaders for the past three weeks. But maybe three weeks of fun clothing is a little bit crazy. Teen dating violence awareness is not a fun idea that needs clothing for everyday of the week, it is a serious topic overshadowed by the colorful tones of spirit weeks. Best Buddies is the only event that is reasonable for fun clothing. Best Buddies is a fun event for special needs kids to hang volunteers and is a very funny event. The lip dub is a one time event that has a repetitive line of ‘fun’ clothing.

The real problem is that not many people actually dress up for spirit week. Barely anyone posts about them dressing up, and for people didn’t even know about Best Buddies until the Monday for the spirit week. With all said and done, the amount of spirit weeks we have are exhausting and therefore a miss.

Excitement grows for Lip Dub Each year, students get together to participate in and create the Lip Dub. While it’s a great way to get the students involved in something that they can create together, there’s some people who don’t appreciate the Lip Dub and would rather use the time in which the Lip Dub takes place to do other things.

The Lip Dub takes up time during Talon, considering that the Lip Dub also happens towards the end of the third nine weeks, some people might want to use that time to get work in before it’s too late.

Even with this being an argument, Lip Dub should still be an activity that happens each year. Since it is right at the end of the third nine weeks, grades are pretty much finalized at that point and even with Talon, there might not be much to do. Lip dub is also just a great way to send off into the final nine weeks of school with everyone coming together to celebrate, have a good time, hear good music, and make memories.

With these points, Lip Dub is most definitely a hit.

South by Southwest causes traffic during spring break

Illustration by | Brittany Truong

South by Southwest is an annual event that features multiple music artists performing live during the span of a week. The event also hosts many other pop culture related activities like film screenings. South by Southwest has always been an annual thing that happens during the middle of March. But with South by Southwest, there are tourists and locals rushing to the week long event, with a lot of people traveling just to go to the event.

This tends to cause very heavy traffic in Austin preventing many people in the area to go to and from Austin. The traffic during these times is very heavy with long waits just to get through the city. Many people probably had to have some of their spring break plans delayed because the traffic spread throughout the city. This probably often happens to many people every spring break, making it a miss.

Opinions March 13, 2026

Staff Editorial

Your Turn How does protesting affect change in government policies?

“I believe protesting changes policies because it helps spread the word of things that are going on in the community and in the world as of now. And it helps more people get a shrug of the things that are going wrong because there's a lot more to it than just, like, sides and politics.”

Kylie Perez McLoud, 10 “I don't think that protesting can directly affect policies, but I think whenever you have schools and neighborhoods protesting, it can send a message especially to our state governments, which can turn into actions.” Peri Garcia, 12 “I think it opens up a good opportunity. Although they say they're going to punish us for it, it doesn't stop the fact that our voice matters and that we have a right to speak.” Brennan Mercado, 12

“I think they change policies because people who are elected see that the people who voted for them are not happy with the job. And they realize that they should probably do something right because a lot of politicians are very selfish. So they're like “oh, we'll get voted out. We should probably follow the people.”

So protests do actually create change through those matters.”

-Grace Barrera, 9 “I don’t think protesting changes policies because we’ve gone through a lot of protests, and it hasn’t changed any type of policy, but it’s a way of expressing emotions and how they feel. And I feel like the only way to change policies is if the people who have control of it actually get a change of mind.”

Brenee Saul, 10 The Hawk, the official student newspaper of Hendrickson High School, is an open forum for the exchange of ideas and opinions.

Hendrickson High School 19201 Colorado Sand Drive Pflugerville, TX 78660 http://www.pfisd.net/HHS (512) 594-1100 Student Population: 2,134 Staff: 180

Opinions expressed reflect the beliefs of the student author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the entire Hawk Staff, the Hawk Adviser, the Hendrickson Faculty and Staff, or the Principal.

Principal: Michael Grebb Adviser: Kari Riemer

Letters to the editor are welcomed, and may be dropped

www.facebook.com/HawkNewspaper

Cover art by Karina Bon

3

Ongoing ICE raids prompt citizens to express concerns For any country across the world, the rules set in place to ensure public safety and the settling of citizens are a major concern for the government. It is important that people are able to be properly settled and be members of society, in which the United States handles this for a wide variety of different people.

Through the organization known as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, abbreviated as ICE, the government is supposed to help manage proper immigration for the many immigrants that come to America. However, an ongoing issue within ICE continues to pose a significant problem to many immigrants and citizens across the country.

Since early 2025, ICE has been reported to be deporting a large number of citizens in America under the accusation of illegal immigration, yet the people deported have not been officially confirmed as illegal immigrants, and instead have been deported under suspicion of the crime. Citizens are being targeted primarily based on ethnicity, leading to controversy towards the government regarding racism and extreme practices. As a result of these raids, citizens have started to act, with ICE now being the leading cause for protest across the nation. Various groups of people have joined in to protest, including even the student population as walkouts protesting ICE have occurred within school districts. Alongside these protests, there are a variety of ways in which anyone can join the cause to support one another in the midst of the crisis.

One of the most fundamental rights that belong to all American citizens is the freedom of speech, in which protest has been one of the nation’s most important demonstrations of this right. Over the past year, many public protests have been held around the nation in response to the ICE raids, spreading awareness of

the problem, and sending a message. Joining in these protests is one way to help fight for change in the current practices of ICE, but take caution to ensure that protests are done peacefully. Avoid using or encouraging any form of violence during protests, for the right of freedom of speech is defended in a protest, not in a riot.

While protesting helps get the message across, information regarding the issue itself also needs to be known. It can be as easy as spreading the word and helping people know what is going on to support the cause and increase awareness of the problem at hand. A variety of research and resources are available online that can provide knowledge about encounters with ICE, and what can be done to avoid being falsely deported. Sharing these resources with one another is important, as members of ICE have been reported to not follow procedure nor allow due process of law, so there is not much room for messing around when it comes to an encounter with ICE. Spreading awareness of these resources is the best way in practice to help one another handle these situations.

With an entire organization at the heart of the problem at hand, it is important to remember the rights that belong to the people of the country. The rights granted to citizens by the constitution were created with the purpose of retaining rights within a free country. One of the main ways to demonstrate these rights at the moment is to join in and protest alongside the rest of the nation. Every right that belongs to citizens is another useful tool in preventing false arrests and deportations, and is essential in order to protest the ICE raids. Under the constitution, the rights of every citizen can help protect their freedom.

With everything in mind, people have what it takes to resist a case of abuse within an organization. The ordeal is scary, especially for those who may be in the radar of ICE, but society is ultimately pushing for a better future where the deportations may be put to an end. It is a matter of participation in a group effort, and using the fundamental principle of popular sovereignty that this country was formed on to help fight for a change.

Illustration by | Brittany Truong

off in E211. Corrections will be printed when brought to the attention of the staff.

The Hawk is printed monthly at Community Impact in Pflugerville, Texas. 1,000 copies are printed each run, and are distributed to the student body for free before school on publication day and on newsstands throughout the building.

Associations

Editorial Staff Editors

Reporters

Artists

Natalia Beltran Addison Curtis Marcos Hans Antonio Garcia Hutton Weirich

Landon Green Presley Hall Faris Hamad Nazayha Miller Marcelo Molina Asher Parks Nate Wilkerson

Karina Bon Kayla Nguyen Brittany Truong

Interscholastic Press League Texas Association of Journalism Educators Journalism Educators Association National Scholastic Press Association Columbia Scholastic Press League

Honors

ILPC Bronze Star 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024 ILPC Silver Star 2021 Columbia Scholastic Press League, Gold Medalist 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 Silver Crown, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Gold Crown 2025 Pacemaker Finalist, 2018

4

News Volume 19, Issue 5

Students voice different opinions on ICE Marcelo Molina | Reporter The district-wide walkout held in early February was organized to protest against ICE activity in America.

ICE, or the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is a federal law enforcement agency tasked with upholding immigration law and the investigation into and the removal of undocumented immigrants. This protest was a student-led demonstration that exercised student’s rights to assemble and protest against what they believe is an overreach of authority.

The protest brought to attention the many differing student opinions on ICE, and certain aspects about how ICE operates through the reaction of the activism.

However, students were primarily either critical of ICE and their motives, or defensive in support of ICE. For the students who do not support ICE, the primary reason is because they believe ICE is abusing their power to push harmful rhetoric and enact violence against undocumented immigrants.

“In the modern day we've seen that there has been a very clear abuse of the executive branch's authority,” senior Natalie Mathews said. “Specifically through how ICE has been utilized.”

Some students believe that undocumented immigrants should face consequences, but not to the

extent that we see ICE currently handling it.

“I don’t agree with their tactics on getting rid of people who came here illegally,” junior Major Dominguez said. “But they should still face the degree of the consequence” On the contrary, other students are in support of ICE activity. They believe that ICE is doing what is right and shouldn’t necessarily be infringed on.

“What makes me support them is the goal they’re supposed to do,” junior Rhett Peterson said. “Which is getting the people who aren’t supposed to be here out of here.”

Pro-ICE students also expressed the sentiment that people wouldn’t be supportive of ICE because of media attention surrounding deaths via ICE agents.

“Maybe because of what’s been going on with people dying because of ICE agents,” sophomore Ari Walker said. “I think that probably makes them scared.”

While there are many differing opinions on ICE, all around students recognize that there is a certain fear associated with the agency and how they handle their operations.

“I’m afraid, but I always have my documents on me,” (Grades) Kylie Perez, Jude Flowers, and Avalyn Gallardo junior Jose Sanchez-Ceballos said. “It’s just something participate in a protest against ICE alongside peers. Photo by you have to do if you’re anything other than white now.” Sam Lee

BPA students place in regionals, advance to state Presley Hall | Reporter BPA students recently competed at the regional competition and many have

advanced to the state competition in March of this year.

“I’m very proud of them. I think that

BPA students show off their medals for regionals.

every year we kind of top last year’s BPA group,” BPA Advisor Ashley Sullivan said, “And, this year we had, I believe, 35 students advance to state. So the vast majority have advanced. So really, really proud of the hard work that they put in.”

BPA, standing for Business Professionals of America, had many successful students. To get to this success the whole team put in copious amounts of time in preparation.

“We spent a lot of time researching internet data myths,” junior Vivaan Talwar said, “And then the week leading up to the competition, we practiced our presentation over and over.”

The team has big plans for the future as well.

“We want to place first in nationals,” senior Brianna Babilonia Montero said.

“Next week, we’re leaving for state, and hopefully placing first.”

The team goes to state on March 5th.

The following are the results from regionals.

Video Production Team • 1st Place: Brianna Babilonia Montero, Alivia Mejia, Jace Sterling, Julian Romero • 2nd Place: Mila Boyle, Alyssa Lee, Olivia Torres Cortez, Miles Sims Website Design Team • 1st Place: Saamiya Merali, Siddharth Rajen, Sukanya Pal, Lucas Tong Computer Animation Team • 1st Place: Juliana Simonian, Christian Perez, Wynnye Ng, Rafael Olmos Broadcast News Production Team

• 1st Place: Roman Martinez, Matthew Miller • 2nd Place: Auryanna Chew, D’Kayla Hall, Morola Awosusi, Morayo Awosusi Podcast Production Team • 2nd Place: Opal Taneja, Pearl Taneja, Aviana Henderson, Adrija Malladi Visual Design Team • 2nd Place: Karina Bon, Shresth Hota, Jeremiah Smith-Cubit Presentation Team • James Billings, Vivaan Talwar (alternate) Individual Events • SQL Database Fundamentals: Saamiya Merali (alternate) • Python Programming: Siddharth Rajen (3rd Place) • Fundamental Desktop Publishing: Sukanya Pal (1st Place) • Computer Modeling: Juliana Simonian (2nd Place), Christian Perez (alternate) • Prepared Speech: Lucas Tong (1st Place) • Interview Skills: Jade Jenkins (1st Place) • Entrepreneurship: Miles Sims (1st Place) • Human Resource Management: Esha Teegireddy (3rd Place) • Advanced Desktop Publishing: Karina Bon (2nd Place) • Database Applications: Anagha Malladi (1st Place) • Fundamental Spreadsheet Applications: Kayla Nguyen (alternate) • Graphic Design Promotion: Shresth Hota (alternate) • Extemporaneous Speech: Peyton Lin (alternate)

News March 13, 2026

5

EMT class does their routine after-school skills Faris Hamad | Reporter The EMT class practiced a few procedures on Feb. 18.

“They have to do skills that are nationally recognized. They have to be able to perform them from memory according to a skill sheet, it’s very particular,” EMT teacher Shay Haude said. “It’s things like long bone immobilization or joint immobilization. They have to do oxygen using a breather, I also have to do it with them where you breathe for them with a valve mask and they have to do CPR. They have to do bleeding, tourniquets and pressure and stuff like that and treat shots and others, but basically all the skills that they may need to do that or something that they are allowed to do with their license when they get their license.

Haude explains why the skills are important not only for school but in the real world.

“The skills really helped me. I did look over the charts beforehand so they weren’t super hard for me because I already knew the content” senior Lynh Tran said. “Just doing the skills and having somebody making sure I’m doing it right is like really

helpful for me to understand what’s going on and like why everything is happening.”

The skills help the students understand the material, especially with classwork.

“I thought the skills were really helpful.

I thought they helped us practice what we needed to work on especially with the EMT members coming around” senior Jesse Babilonia Montero said. “We really need all the practice that we can get. It’s a fun class, we learn a lot and it helps outside of school.”

The skills are done by students with some EMT/EMS members to help with their practice “I thought the skills were really helpful because in EMT there might be a situation where a person has trauma and we will have to stabilize them before the hospital so their injury doesn’t get any worse,” senior Kamara Wright-Robinson said.

“Long bone immobilization really helps with that which is one of the skills we did and then we also had apneic BVMs and that helps because the patient would be deceased so it would bring them back, but obviously help get them to the hospital.”

(Grade) Jesse Babalino and other students in EMT practice on a dummy. Photo by Faris Hamad

Fire Academy pushes on in training students for certification

(Grade) Allen Villaobos and peers train for Fire Academy. Photo by Ryleigh Mackey

Nate Wilkerson | Reporter Throughout many PFISD schools, many students come together in Fire Academy to get an education on a variety of different skills of being a firefighter and working in that force. From doing things inside school that helps them learn to engage in different outside activities, Fire Academy provides essential information for following a career in this pathway.

“So we do a lot of skills that involve getting into the fire service,” junior Sofia Torres said. “You also get lots of certifications out of it, like your fire one cert, your fire two cert, then your hazmat optics and awareness certs, and then your EMT cert.”

There’s some things that Fire Academy students practice and complete each day as a habit that can be done within the classroom.

“Usually, when we have air packs, we check our air packs each time we come into the classroom,” Torres said. “We also set up our gear and stage it and then at the end, we clean our stations to keep the classroom clean.”

They don’t only do things inside the school and classroom, they also go out and deal with real fire and practice what real situations would be like.

“The best moment that I’ve had with Fire Academy this year was probably when

we went and did the live furnace,” Captain Michael Rhea said. “It was the first time they got to see fire, and they got to push through. Moving charged hose lines through a building is something they haven’t had a lot of experience doing and I think it’s enjoyable to see people succeed, especially if they have to push through.”

Even though Fire Academy does stuff outside of the school from time to time, they are challenged by a lack of space on campus, in which they are unable to do a majority of the things they want to.

“The challenge we have every year is that it’s tough to do what we need to do in this building,” Rhea said. “So I’ll leave more to the new building because it’s gonna make our academy better.”

With the new building, their main goals are making sure that each student in Fire Academy gets the best experience on what they will deal with in real situations and to be able to get real training on those things.

“So we’ve tweaked the schedule every year since I’ve been here, trying to get it exactly right, to give everybody the best chance to succeed,” Rhea said. “I’m going to have a building built especially for the fire academy where we can do what we need to do and get the training that they need rather than a lot of stuff we have to simulate.”

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Feature Volume 19, Issue 5

They Called It Puppy Love

Student shares personal teen dating violence story

Addison Curtis | Editor When she was 14-years-old, senior Camy Estrada met a boy named Drew through a mutual friend. He had just moved to Colorado where Estrada lived at the time and they began to go out.

“He was my first real boyfriend,” Estrada said. “He was very sweet, very involved in my life, and he was very supportive.”

Estrada and Drew began dating in November 2022, and that following January, Estrada decided she needed a break from him.

“I was struggling badly with my mental health, and I couldn’t keep a relationship, so we took a break,” Estrada said. “There was definitely a shift in our relationship, because neither of us really knew how to talk to each other after the break, and that’s when both of our energies, especially his, shifted.”

After that January, the sweet boy that Estrada thought she met changed. After that point, the controlling behaviors, manipulation, and the return of substance abuse began.

“He became insecure and manipulative, and he would hang the fact that I asked for

a break over my head,” Estrada said. “He would get upset about the fact that I was in theater, and I wasn’t giving him my undivided attention every single moment of every waking day.

Whenever I would hang out with my friends, whenever my best friend from back home would come over, and I wouldn’t tell him, whenever I wouldn’t call him back immediately, or I would talk to my guy friends.”

By the spring of 2023, Estrada was fully immersed in the toxic cycle of an abusive relationship. Every day when she would get home from school, before bed, when she showered, she had to call Drew. And anytime there was a call, there was an argument.

“He would bring up things that he would know and make me upset, and whenever

I had a reaction, he would take that as an advantage to just create a bigger issue,” Estrada said. “They [the arguments] would go from like, you know, kind of bickering to staying up on the phone, him yelling at me until 3am, cursing me out.”

Estrada was far gone from the girl she was before the relationship. He had changed all aspects of her life.

“I think I was very happy before,” Estrada said.

“While I was in that [the relationship], I isolated myself a lot, and I wouldn’t dress up anymore or do my makeup, I wouldn’t take care of myself, because I was so down mentally that I just didn’t have the motivation to do so.”

After some issues in Colorado, Estrada’s family decided to move to Texas after her father started a new job. In June 2023, after Estrada moved, Drew texted her, “I’m breaking up with you,” ending a 7-monthlong abusive relationship for good.

“It took me a long time to figure out who I was again after him,” Estrada said.

“He definitely changed the way I view relationships and how I handle things and how dynamics are played out.”

Now as an 18-year-old about to finish high school, Estrada has changed so much since her relationship with Drew. She moved here, made new friends, and now is able to be herself, without him holding her back.

“I think the best piece of advice I could give to someone going through this is you need to talk to someone, whether you think that’s gonna make the situation better or worse, or whether you think you’re alone, it’s better than what you’re in,” Estrada said. “It’s not easy, and it’s definitely harder said than done, but the moment you leave that relationship for good, you will find peace.”

Girls Advocates, Hawk Helping Hands, staff honor TVDA week

Addison Curtis | Editor In honor of Teen Dating Violence Awareness, the Girl Advocates and Hawk Helping Hands club, along with help from advisors, put together events for the week of February 23 through February 27.

“We have our booth in front of the library where we kind of talk about what a healthy relationship is, and that goes as far as dating and also friendships,” president of Girl Advocates, junior Sofia Torres said.

“We have little, like papers with QR codes that kind of have a website where you could get help if you are in a relationship where, you know, it’s abusive, or maybe you don’t feel comfortable, or you need some advice.”

Along with the QR codes, students were able to participate in interactive red flag/ green flag activities, contribute to a “What Should Love Feel Like?” whiteboard, and receive stickers, candy, and face painting.

“I think it’s [the activities] important because, as people grow up, especially

with social media, people might not know exactly what a healthy relationship is, and it’s kind of easy to fall under that umbrella of like, ‘should I stay or should I leave?”

Torres said. “And so, I think it’s important for people to know what is healthy as they grow up and go out into the real world so they can know to love themselves and know how to love others.”

Teen Dating Violence Awareness began to be honored in 2007, spearheaded by school social worker Lori. Carl. And Girl Advocates have participated in helping with the planning annually.

“The events are a collaborative effort between Ms. Carl, myself as the sponsor of Girl Advocates, and Ashley Benton, sponsor of Hawk Helping Hands,” English teacher Liana Gonzales said. “We are also grateful for the continued support of our campus administration and staff as well.”

Usually, the Girl Advocates host an open mic night during the week. At the open mic, students can share personal stories

and/or poems.

“Seeing students support one another and speak openly about their experiences is always a powerful and meaningful moment that makes us incredibly proud,” Gonzales said. “There’s a poem or two that makes me cry every year. These students are incredibly talented.”

However, this year, due to updated approval regulations, the club had to reschedule the event to be on March 9th, instead of doing it during the actual awareness week.

Another event held is mural-making.

This is in collaboration with art teacher Monica Lawrence and the advanced art students, and has happened annually for the past 15 years.

“The mural, created with the support of the art department, serves as a visual reminder,” Gonzales said. “It promotes awareness and encourages conversations about healthy relationships across campus.”

For the past 3 years, the Organization, SAFE (Stop Abuse for Everyone), has requested to keep the murals and has placed them in their shelter for families affected by domestic violence.

“It is important for students to learn about respect, boundaries, and healthy relationship behaviors, as many are beginning to explore dating for the first time,” Gonzales said. “Awareness helps students recognize warning signs early and ensures they know how to seek support if a relationship becomes unhealthy.”

Teen Dating Violence Awareness serves as a reminder that there is always help available. If students have, or are experiencing teen dating violence, they can see Mrs. Carl or visit national organizations such as loveisrespect.org.

Feature March 13, 2026

7

Staff gives teen dating advice

Highs, lows of high school dating explored by students Hutton Weirich | Editor High school can come with many trials and tribulations that may lead to struggle for teen couples.

There are a lot of changes in high school that can make dating difficult, such as strict parents, jobs, busy/different schedules, age differences, and many more.

“Me and my boyfriend have been dating for almost three years now,” senior NeVeah Scott said. “I think [our biggest struggle was] probably just making sure that we have room in our schedules for each other because we were both pretty busy.”

Besides scheduling issues, the couple also faced conflict while trying to balance independence while still having parent interference.

“A lot of problems came from my parents not wanting me to be in a relationship and they said that it would distract me from a lot of things,” Scott said. “I think most parents believe that having a boyfriend or a partner would deter their children from what they're supposed to be focused on.”

Despite these issues, Scott and her boyfriend still found joy in being in high school together.

“We didn't have many classes together, so I liked the little moments that we did get to be together,” Scott said. “Like at lunch or being in theater together, and even sometimes just meeting up with each other in the hallways during passing period, it was really sweet.”

With Scott being a senior and her boyfriend having graduated, the couple also had to deal with the struggles that came with being in different grades.

“Since I'm still in high school and he has graduated and moved on to college, we had some issues with the amount of time we spend away from each other,” Scott said. “We do try to compensate by calling

and talking every day, but sometimes I do feel a little lonely because we're not around each other all the time and he's typically with his other friends.”

However, as the couple progressed through high school together, they found that these issues would change and even get easier.

“I think I really just got used to it,” Scott said. “I learned how to be okay with not being around him all the time, and I think it's become less overwhelming for him so that he wouldn't have to worry about how I would feel if he were around his friends.”

These problems can be difficult to tackle and sometimes cause tension between partners, which is why some couples try to find healthy ways to communicate with each other and process those issues.

“Our communication skills with each other are very good,” Scott said. “If there is a moment where we don't want to talk, we'll tell each other we just need a little bit of space and then revisit it later that day or whenever we've calmed down if we were angry or anything like that.”

Being a teenager in a new relationship can sometimes feel daunting, which makes it important to embrace change and accept that sometimes there will be hardship.

“I would say don't stress too much about not knowing everything, because there's always room for growth,” Scott said.

“Don't feel like you need to hold yourself back or suppress yourself.”

Dating in high school can be very different from dating in college, and Scott shares her excitement for the future of her relationship after graduation.

“I know that obviously I can't see him all the time,” Scott said. “But I’ll finally have that freedom to see him whenever because we'll be at the same college, so I’m the most excited about seeing him more often.”

Marcelo Molina | Reporter Romantic relationships in high school, a desire for many, can be full of memorable moments and experiences with a significant other. Healthy romantic relationships are built on, but not limited to, respect for one another, proper communication, and trust in the other person.

These romantic relationships can also be important to developing identity and character through experience. Because of this, teachers and staff, who have already passed through high school, have their own insight into what they believe is important to know about relationships during high school years.

High school and teenage years are a time all about finding your identity. It’s always best to be open minded, especially in situations you aren’t too entirely familiar w i t h .

of opportunities newly available to high school students.

“Make sure you know what you want as far as, like, relationship wise and also life wise,” security guard Loriann Martin said.

“Having the support of each other works better than the opposite, because most relationships, when it's not supportive, then it doesn't really work out.”

High school relationships for most ideally end in a high school sweetheart scenario.

However, most high school relationships can be very short lived. “[Relationships] don't last forever, so don't get stuck on a relationship once it's over,” Geometry teacher Lester Jones said.

“Once y'all break up, that's it. You don’t know how many people y o u ' r e gonna date

Nevertheless, it is also equally as important to stay true t o yourself and your values.

“If you are authentic to yourself and you have selfesteem then you should form a partnership,” ACC History and AP Psychology Sara Lucas said. “Opposites don't actually attract, like you need to find someone with your same values.”

It is not uncommon for people in relationships to be obsessive and clingy with one another. When two people are this way, they may find themselves wanting to be around each other very often.

“Two people don't always have to like the same thing and spend all of their free time together.

It's okay to spend time apart doing things that you actually enjoy,” English I and AP Seminar teacher Jeremiah Justice said. “That way, when you come back together as a couple, you are happier and have things to share with one another.”

During high school, student’s aspirations and dreams may fluctuate. This is a common and completely normal part of teenage life, in part due to the vast world

between that time and the time you get married.”

Teen

dating violence can be a serious issue in high school relationships.

Dating violence itself is physical and mental abuse by a partner in a relationship to control the other partner, and can be especially prevalent among teens due to underdeveloped emotional maturity.

“If you ever feel like a relationship is unsafe or negatively impacting your mental health, speak to a trusted adult,” Mrs. Gonzales said. “Having supportive people around you can really help when you're trying to make sense of a situation.”

Illustrations by | Karina Bon

8

Feature Volume 19, Issue 5

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve

Teachers share first heartbreak stories

Addison Curtis | Editor

“His name was Troy Roberts, [they dated] two years, two and a half years or so, I guess he broke up with me and then started seeing another girl that was on the same basketball team I was on, which was weird and kind of awkward. It took me a while to kind of get over, but it was about, you know, being busy and then being excited about going to school and doing different things and so on. You know, I believe that there’s a path and that people are put in your path for a long time or a short time to help you grow and help you kind of mature. But just to have faith that somebody better will come along.” - Mrs. Barczi

“Isela Garcia, I met her in the sixth grade.

She was dating my best friend. And it didn’t work out between them. And it was kind of obvious that she and I had more chemistry. And he even said, y’all are meant to be. So then we dated all of junior high. And then in ninth grade, she dumped me. At the time, I kept busy, I had soccer, and I worked at a grocery store, and then schoolwork. Because I feel like if you just sit at home and you listen to the radio, then all the songs make you think of her. Then you turn on the TV, and it’s the heartbreak episode of such and such, and then that makes you think of her. So the busier you are, in my opinion, the more naturally time starts to pass, and then the wounds have time to heal.” - Mr. Curran

“Her name was Diane, my friends, you know, just wanted to hang out more, and they thought I was abandoning them. So I asked one of my friends how the breakup should go, and he said, ‘Just tell her you’re a dump truck, and she’s getting dumped.

Man, there are lots of fish in the sea, and there’s somebody for everybody. And that’s the truth. There is somebody for you. I just think you kids have to get a little more personal. Stay off the phones. You know, go get a cup of coffee or something and talk.” - Mr. Grebb

“His name was Cole, and we dated for like two years. I think we ended up just talking, and he was like, we’re not going to get married. And so we should just like date other people. But I was like, what if we were going to get married? And so I think I just was like, I was like really heartbroken.

It’s so hard. And I think sometimes adults don’t take that stuff seriously. And I totally, like, I think feelings are validated. At least you’ve had the chance to love and learn more about yourself. You don’t want to be an adult that’s like never experienced emotions and feelings. I think that makes you like a very closed-off, shallow person.

So I think it’s good to go through all of that.” - Mrs. Gurganus

Love Languages

Students share thoughts, opinions on Love Languages

The five love languages: words of affirmations, physical touch, gift giving, acts of service, and quality time, are often used as specific and distinct ways in which people may express love.

Hutton Weirich | Editor “My partner's love language is words of affirmation. So, like, little notes and, like, stuff like that. I think our love languages are compatible because I like gift giving.

So oftentimes, I'll make him, like, crafts and stuff and I'll write notes in the craft. So it's kind of like both of our love languages combined.” Melody Cano, 11

“I think having similar love languages make things definitely easier, especially at first, you know, because you guys have more in common, and you can make each other feel loved more easily.” Jackson McCutchin, 10

“Oh, I'm a Physical Touch person. I love hugs. I think that it just comforts me, which sucks because my best friend hates hugs.” Avery Mann, 10

“I think problems with having different love languages could definitely be, like, just making sure the other person's happy because you could be just paying attention to your own and not really someone else's.

Like, my love language might be acts of service and the other person's might be, like, physical touch, and I don't satisfy theirs as much as they satisfy mine.” Sofia Esparza, 10 “I feel like words of affirmation is the least common love language because there's kind of this stigma that, like, if you see a pretty person, you think, ‘Oh, I'm too scared to tell them they're pretty.’ Or ‘they probably get told that all the time.’

But if everybody's thinking that, then no one's gonna say it. Or especially girls and guys, it's really hard to tell one of your guy friends, Oh, you look good today without it coming off as flirting. So I think that's definitely something.” Madie Berndt, 12

Illustration by | Karina Bon

Feature March 13, 2026

What Kind of Dater are You?

9

Hutton Weirich | Editor

Select your answer and count how many of each letter you get.

At the end, the most amount of letters you have determines what kind of dater you are!

Q1: Which date would you prefer?

- Bowling (A) - Movies (B) - Coffee shop conversations (C) - Picnic in the park (D)

Q6: Pick a childhood tv show: - LEGO Ninjago (A) - Sofia the First (B) - Doc Mcstuffins (C) - Phineas and Ferb (D)

Q2: Pick a movie: - 13 Going on 30 (A) - The Notebook (B) - When Harry Met Sally (C) - 10 Things I Hate About You (D)

Q7: Pick a time of day: - Sunny afternoons (A) - Peaceful evenings (B) - Cozy nights (C) - Morning sunrise (D)

Q3: What’s your love language?

- Physical touch (A) - Quality time (B) - Acts of service (B) - Words of affirmation (C) - Gift giving (D

Q8: What’s your dream date destination?

- The mountains for a hike (A) - The beach (B) - A cozy ski resort (C) - An art studio (D)

Q4: Which do you prefer?

- Going out (A/D) - Staying in (C/B)

Q9: Which would you prefer?

- Fast food (A) - Nice restaurant (B) - Home cooked meal (C) - Combination of snacks (D)

Q5: Pick an animal: - Parrot (A) - Dog (B) - Cat (C) - Ferret (D)

Q10: Lastly, pick a scent: - Coconut (A) - Rose (B) - Vanilla (C) - Eucalyptus/sage (D)

Answers

Mostly A: You are a sporty dater! You love being outdoors and having spontaneous dates! You look forward to summer all year long. You’re always down for an adventure and love physical activity. For you, it’s all about having fun and making memories with your partner!

Mostly C: You are a cozy dater! You tend to be an introvert and like alone time. However, you love the quiet moments and deep talks with your partner. You love coffee shop dates and would love to receive a book as a gift. You don’t need anything big or exciting to keep you happy, and it’s the small things that you notice and love about your partner.

Mostly B: You are a traditional dater! You love a good dinner or movie date, and you always mark your calendar for Valentine’s. You love spending quality time with your partner and tend to prefer dates that are planned. You love a good mix of indoor and outdoor dates, but you mostly just love the time you get to have with your partner.

Mostly D: You are a creative dater! You love crafts and anything whimsical, and you like to go with the flow. You love giving handmade gifts and watching all types of movies. You love nature AND chilling/ unwinding indoors, and you enjoy creatively linking with your partner to achieve a common goal. You like animals and love openly expressing your love for your partner!

Teens recount worst dates Presley Hall | Reporter Bad dates seem to be a rite of passage, there are so many things that could go wrong.

“I don’t have a problem with girls buying stuff, but I bought everything, and gave him a ride home,” junior Sarah Medina said.

“Like, that was just awkward.”

Sometimes it’s hard to tell when to make the first move.

“I tried to put my arm around her,” junior Alexander Orr said.

“And she just gave me the craziest look.

With everything that could go wrong, it’s easy to get anxious and create awkward silence.

“We went to dinner and nobody was talking,” junior Kylie Taylor said. “It was so awkward.”

Most people have a really

awkward date story like these ones, sometimes it’s hard to salvage the date afterwards.

“After that I was like, should I buy her flowers or something?” Orr said. “But I didn’t see her again after that.”

Sometimes you can’t get in enough conversation to establish a connection “We were in a group of like six people,” junior Jacob Jelinek said.“There was no personal conversation, like at all.”

While some moments are hard to move past, there are times when it all works out.

“We were skating and she fell and busted her lip,” junior Gabriel McDonald said. “And I didn’t think it was that bad so I skated past her like twice. But that’s

my girlfriend now, so I’m glad we moved past it.”

Illustration by | Karina Bon

10

Sports Volume 19, Issue 5

Baseball team builds depth, resilience ahead of season Marcos Hans | Editor The baseball team enters the season with a young roster that has already been tested during a challenging preseason.

Since August, players have put in consistent work to prepare, learning through early struggles and using those experiences as motivation moving forward.

“We have a young team that has worked very hard since August to be prepared for the season,” Head Coach David Neelley said. “We have taken our bumps and bruises; however, we will be better for it.”

Preparation has gone beyond just time on the field. The team has focused heavily on strength training and mental preparation to ensure players are ready for the demands of the season.

“We have spent a lot of time in the weightroom and classroom to physically and mentally prepare,” Neelley said.

The team continues to compete late into games and refuses to back down, regardless of the situation.

“I like the team’s resiliency,” Neelley said. “They are never out of a game. They battle through the last out.”

Compared to previous seasons, pitching depth stands out as a key difference.

Multiple arms on the mound give the team flexibility and confidence, while the offense continues to develop after losing production from last year’s roster.

“We have a lot of depth on the mound this year that can compete and get us outs,” Neelley said. “We are working to find offensive output that we lost from last year’s team.”

Several players are expected to make an impact this season, including seniors Cole McCracken, Logan Clark, JJ Coston, and AJ Fowler.

Juniors Braedan Borger, Rhett Peterson, Hunter Hicks, and Jake Laake will also play key roles, along with freshman Cote Tullos.

Motivation remains centered on legacy and growth, with an emphasis on building upon the foundation set by teams before them.

“We talk to the team about leaving their legacy,” Neelley said. “Build on the legacy left by previous years and always push to be better.”

Competition’s on the way as track season officially begins Landon Green | Reporter The track season has officially started, and the competitions have begun too.

Throughout the week Monday through Thursday the Track team practices for over an hour to get ready for their meets and competitions.

“My favorite part of track is probably being around other people who like the sport and like being able to bond over that,” sophomore Dani Rose Grimes said.

“I joined track because my family was al The track season has officially started, and the competitions have begun too.

Throughout the week Monday through Thursday the Track team practices for over an hour to get ready for their meets and competitions.

“My favorite part of track is probably being around other people who like the sport and like being able to bond over that,” sophomore Dani Rose Grimes said.

“I joined track because my family was also on track, and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.”

At practice, the runners warm up for 2030 minutes and then go into groups. That’s when they started practicing running, hurdles, mid-distance, and long-distance.

And at 8:00 AM, they hit the field.

“It’s fun because you get to hang out with friends, miss school, and run your events,”

sophomore Zoe Kellum said.

For some, the meets are the most important part of track, and the runner likes to get into a good state of mind before hearing the start signal.

“Before a meet, I like to listen to Lil Tecca to get into the zone,” sophomore Jeremiah May said. “ The hardest part of a meet is probably relaxing yourself and visualizing what you need to do, but when you have that done it’s pretty smooth sailing.” so on track, and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.”

At practice, the runners warm up for 2030 minutes and then go into groups. That’s when they started practicing running, hurdles, mid-distance, and long-distance.

And at 8:00 AM, they hit the field.

“It’s fun because you get to hang out with friends, miss school, and run your events,” sophomore Zoe Kellum said.

For some, the meets are the most important part of track, and the runner likes to get into a good state of mind before hearing the start signal.

“Before a meet, I like to listen to Lil Tecca to get into the zone,” sophomore Jeremiah May said. “ The hardest part of a meet is probably relaxing yourself and visualizing what you need to do, but when you have that done it’s pretty smooth sailing.”

The track season has officially started, and the competitions have begun too.

Throughout the week Monday through Thursday the Track team practices for over an hour to get ready for their meets and competitions.

“My favorite part of track is probably being around other people who like the sport and like being able to bond over that,” sophomore Dani Rose Grimes said.

“I joined track because my family was also on track, and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.”

At practice, the runners warm up for 2030 minutes and then go into groups. That’s when they started practicing running, hurdles, mid-distance, and long-distance.

And at 8:00 AM, they hit the field.

“It’s fun because you get to hang out with friends, miss school, and run your events,” sophomore Zoe Kellum said.

For some, the meets are the most important part of track, and the runner likes to get into a good state of mind before hearing the start signal.

“Before a meet, I like to listen to Lil Tecca to get into the zone,” sophomore Jeremiah May said. “ The hardest part of a meet is probably relaxing yourself and visualizing what you need to do, but when you have that done it’s pretty smooth sailing.”

Sports March 13, 2026

11

Softball team starts off season with multiple victories Antonio Garcia | Editor The softball season has started, and the team has gone to multiple games and tournaments with the previous months of training and experience now to be used.

Under the guidance of softball coach Brett Gola, the softball team gained a lead in the season by winning a majority of the games, and winning in a tournament.

“We’ve started off really strong this season, with a score of nine wins and only one loss in the first two weeks,” Gola said.

“We went undefeated in a tournament at Westwood, in which it was one of the team’s goals to win a tournament this year, so we’re off to a good start.”

Before the season started, the team spent time training and bonding together,

in order to build a team ready to take on the season.

“We’ve spent a lot of time together over the year, and have become really close as a team,” senior Hadlee Woodard said. “Our bonding does a lot for us out on the field, and we go into games with a lively spirit and a team pumped up with a desire to conquer the field together.”

Over the course of year, the team would practice during school hours, and outside of school as well. All aspects of softball are put into account during practice.

“The students put in a lot of work for their training, especially outside of school,” Gola said. “We practice a lot of hitting, defense, and situational work. We’re a very process driven sport and a process driven team, so we try to make sure we’re

doing everything the right way.”

The same sentiment is also found within the team itself, as the team focuses on making sure they are doing things correctly.

“Our coach always has a saying of to just do the right thing,” Woodard said.

“It’s about making the right decisions and staying on the right path that is essential to winning any game.”

With their values for training in mind, the team focuses on their personal growth, their advice from their coach, and their readiness for the games within the season.

“These kids know what it takes, and what to expect, so all they have to do is go out and prove that,” Gola said. “We just really want to get out there and compete, and give our best effort for the team and for

our school.”

With a start to the season in the lead, the team pushes on to aim for regionals, and towards championship, as the team has worked on improving their overall score during the season over the years.

“One thing I am the most proud of is staying with the team throughout all of our struggles,” Woodard said. ”Freshman year was rough, I had an ACL injury, and things weren’t going too well that season.

But despite everything, I came back to keep playing softball, and I have grown with the rest of the team. Recovering from that injury, and helping the team advance further throughout the years, that’s what I’m truly proud of in my time in softball.”

Golf Team prepares for District competition Asher Parks | Reporter Golf season is still going, with the golfers preparing for district this month. With district at the end of March.

“I’ve been team captain since the end of my sophomore year, and my role is to basically just be a team leader of both the girls’ and boys’ teams,” Girls Golf Captain Allysa Lee said. “I’ve been really trying to do group activities and outside events where we do dinners and stuff, so I create a role where everybody should feel included when they’re playing on our golf team.”

Golf competitions are hosted by a school and have 18 to 32 schools compete. Each school brings 5 students to play in the competition, with the 4 best scores being the team score.

“We normally would have team practices and I’ll attend those so we can either play on the golf course we’ll play holes or practice on the range.” Lee said, “The majority of the time, I’ll go to my home course and practice on my own.

So I’ll practice everything, which is with irons and drivers, and my short game of chipping and putting. Consistently practicing on all of those, like range work as well as playing holes, helps me prepare for districts and regionals.”

Golf season starts with an introductory meeting for new members and start to practice in August. Practices are held at Blackhawk every week with there sometimes being multiple practices within one week to get ready for new students to play in competitions the following year. Each golfer is allowed up to eight regular season tournaments throughout the year.

“We have to get them going really quickly, just getting them out to practice and then getting them ready for the competitive side of it,” Westerfield said. “We’ve got golfers that are really experienced, all the way to new golfers. And so just getting them a chance to see how they improve over the year.”

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Entertainment Volume 19, Issue 5

Staffers devise different ideas for fun first dates

Natalia Beltran | Editor Landon Green | Reporter Presley Hall | Reporter

Asher Parks | Reporter Nate Wilkerson | Reporter

Zilker Park

Small Town Rodeo

Within the Pflugerville and Austin area, there are a handful of things you could do for a date. From those options, one of the best ones if you’re looking for a calm and pleasant date is a picnic at Zilker Metropolitan Park in Austin.

The park is very spacious and scenic, this allows for a lot of freedom on what you want to bring and do when you’re there. Some ideas could be to bring cards or a game to play, sports equipment like frisbees, sandwiches or chips, and pillows, cushions, or chairs to be comfortable.

The best time to visit Zilker Park if you want to avoid crowds and have as much space as possible for the date is during the weekdays. If you go on the weekend, it is often hard to find parking as well and many people find themselves resorting to parking in spots that aren’t very close to Zilker Park and require long walking distances. Zilker Park is highly recommended as a fun and peaceful date spot where you can have lots of freedom and a great time.

Whenever someone goes on a date, especially a first date, they want to get to know the person by talking and asking questions. But then you also want to have fun and give off a good impression. A rodeo, with some good Texas BBQ, and driving around would be a great idea. Because rodeos are a fun and interesting idea because rodeos have music, food, and entertainment.

When you’re driving, you can talk, ask questions, and answer questions. At big rodeos, like the Austin rodeo. You would see horse racing, tie-down roping, and bull riding. However, in small town rodeos like Buda Texas and Sunset Valley, you see kids chasing goats for money, tie downs, goat/lamb riding for the kids, bull riding, and horse racing. Big city BBQ is fine and all, but if you want the good stuff, you have to go to the small towns, with a population of 2,000 or less. And those old ladies can cook very well. It will make them want to go on a second date. Therefore the rodeo, BBQ, and being out of the city would be a great first date.

Shopping Outlet & Food

Barton Springs Pool

Dates are important to keep a relationship healthy, especially if you want a lasting one. It is important to have an idea of the ideal date and express those ideas. Although the perfect date could be in a city, either way at some point, you and whomever you go with will be in a middle of a shopping area like the Domain or The Lakeline Mall. After you eat somewhere you and your date would walk around and look in all of the stores. You would window shop and talk with your date.

You and your date would wander the mall for a while, while talking and maybe eat at the food court. Food courts are good for first dates because you don’t have to worry about your date not liking the food, because there are multiple places to get food from. It also makes a good conversation starter to talk about what food your date prefers or their favorite food or cuisine. Then you would walk around some more and talk about our favorite things or favorite hobbies.

Then when you and your date are done you two would just sit and talk until you both go home. That is the idea of a perfect date.

An Ideal date should allow the possibility to get to know the other person, while still maintaining an entertaining atmosphere. The goal should be to have fun with the other person, rather than treating the date like an interview. It’s important to acknowledge both people’s interests, so it needs to be a mutual agreement of where to go.

One version of an ideal date would consist of going to Barton Springs Pool in downtown Austin on a hot summer day, and getting food afterwards someplace nearby. Going for a swim will give you and your partner a chance to have a fun summer activity, while also offering the chance to get to know each other. Not only is this activity fun, but it’s also very affordable. Parking at the Barton Spring Pool is free Monday through Friday. On weekends and holidays, parking costs $3 per hour per vehicle.

Overall, an ideal date should be entertaining, cheap, and easygoing, so the two of you can bond and form a life-long connection.

Picnic For a romantic date, it’s essential to create an atmosphere that’s both relaxing and enjoyable while also allowing the opportunity to truly get to know your partner. A date should not feel stressful or complicated, but instead comfortable and natural so that both people can simply enjoy each other’s presence.

A simple, inexpensive, and easygoing date could be something like a picnic.

Sitting outside together, sharing food, talking, and enjoying the surroundings create a calm environment where conversations can flow freely. Sometimes the simpler moments like laughing over small things, talking about personal interests, enjoying food, or just enjoying the quiet together can help develop a natural, longterm bond, more than any elaborate plan could.

The goal of a date isn’t necessarily to impress the other person, but to spend meaningful time together and help create a strong relationship. A simple setup like a picnic could be the perfect date for a first date or for rebonding.

Bookstore While many typical dates, like going to the movies or getting food, are great, sometimes doing something more unique makes for a very memorable experience.

That’s why an amazing date is going to a book store, it gives you something to do and talk about, which is great to avoid awkward silence.

There are also many book stores with coffee shops inside, such as Barnes and Noble, which gives you a chance to continue the date after you’re done in the bookstore, or you could even go at the beginning of the date as a way to start up the conversation.

This is the perfect date for a couple who likes to read, or even a beginning relationship, as you can learn a lot about a person through the books they like or are interested in reading.

Something like this would make for an unforgettable date.