![“[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)
In a Nut Shell: Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Time for one of the most classic, indulgent, and cozy winter drinks. We can almost promise you that after you try this, you’ll never go back to those powders again.
Recipe (Inspired by Laura Vitale):
Notes
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Difficulty: Really Easy
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Length: Short
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Keep in mind: The ingredients are extremely customizable – if you want more chocolate, a different kind of chocolate, less milk, etc. so be it! Feel free to change it to your liking.
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Semi-sweet chocolate, because it has more chocolate liquor than say, milk chocolate, provides a richer chocolate flavor.
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Why we made it: Delicious and rich chocolatey goodness.
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Why you should make it: Who doesn’t like delicious and rich chocolatey goodness.
Ingredients
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½ cup semisweet chocolate
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⅔ cup milk chocolate
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2 cups whole milk
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¼ tsp vanilla extract
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1 tbsp sugar
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a candy cane (even though it’s not Christmas anymore[can we say christmas], peppermint is still delicious!)
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½ tsp instant coffee (optional)
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whipped cream (optional, but highly recommended)
Equipment
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Saucepan (or skillet, just some type of pot)
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Whisk or spoon
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A cup with a spout (optional, but for easy pouring)
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A giant mug
Pour your milk into your pot of choice and allow it to almost boil, but do not allow it to boil.
Remove the skilled off of the heat and place all the other ingredients right in. (Told you it was easy!)
Wait a couple minutes for the chocolate to melt, then take a whisk or spoon and mix it until mixture looks smooth.
Let’s just take a moment to appreciate.
Optional: pour the chocolate mixture into a big cup with a spout (and try not to make a big mess like we did)
Pour the hot chocolate into mug of choice.
Any finally, suffocate with whipped cream, add a candy cane, and garnish with crushed candy cane. Stir the candy cane in the hot chocolate to add a peppermint flavor.
Voila, that’s (peppermint) hot chocolate, in a nutshell!
Take note of the message on our mug: seize the day! (or more appropriately, seize the chocolate!)
Next up: “You have to eat oatmeal or you’ll dry up. Anybody knows that.” -Kay Thompson (creator of the Eloise childrens’ books)
Priscilla Pan is the features editor for the Winged Post and co-creator of In a Nutshell. She is a senior and has been part of the journalism program for...
Fred Chang (12) is the Managing Editor of the TALON Yearbook and co-creator of In a Nutshell. Her positions on yearbook were reporter, Copy Editor, and...