![“[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)
When it comes to picking a restaurant, my indecision always wins out. A seemingly trivial choice leads me into a spiral of decision paralysis in which I always circle back to the same familiar options.
That is, until I discovered Beli.
Beli allows users to track and rank all of the restaurants they have visited and receive customized recommendations, all while connecting with their friends. A combination of Yelp, Pinterest and Instagram, the app provides a space to discover new spots and also share dining experiences.
As someone who’s frequently overwhelmed by options and struggles to try new restaurants, Beli has made branching out of my comfort zone accessible and enjoyable. The app preserves the community-oriented aspect of food culture with its social media-like feel, where users can interact with their friends’ latest restaurant visits.
While other food reviewing platforms can feel impersonal, filled with strangers and random comments, Beli creates a more intimate environment where every review and photo comes from people I know.
When it comes to adding a new ranking to my Beli, what motivates me most is seeing my friends’ likes and comments on my post. Every time I log a restaurant, attaching images, noting my favorite dishes and tagging who I ate with, I am excited to know how my friends relate to or disagree with my experience.
Now, every time I eat out, I look forward to finding a new restaurant to add to my Beli. Even if I did not enjoy the experience, the exhilaration of adding a new ranking to my Beli alleviates my disappointment. In fact, I am eager to log the low rating to further curate my suggestions.
Turning every meal into a new adventure, Beli transforms the restaurant decision process from exhausting to exciting. So next time anyone asks me where we should eat, I have my answer within seconds: “Let me check my Beli.”
