![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[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)
Silky noodles, fresh vegetables, thinly sliced meat and assortments of tofu, mushrooms and shrimp bubble in piping hot broth served in porcelain bowls. After a long school week, we often seek a warm, comforting meal. However, with nearby restaurants, Hai Di Lao, Mumu Hotpot, and Feng Hotpot each providing their own specialties, the question arises: where should Harker students go for the best hot pot experience?
If students are looking for spectacular customer service, Hai Di Lao offers special stagings, with waiters performing a birthday song, noodle-pulling dance and mask-changing act. Additionally, the restaurant is the best option for family dining. Children can receive a free kid’s meal, consisting of chicken nuggets, fruits and Yakult. Yet, due to its popularity and recent staff changes, Hai Di Lao’s waiter service has slowed down quite a bit. I’ve experienced this firsthand, as the staff have misplaced my orders a couple of times.
In terms of food selection, Hai Di Lao offers an extensive selection of hot pot items and even provides a few generic sides, such as chicken wings and french fries. However, the restaurant lacks in the seafood category. The most unique part of Hai Di Lao may be its sauce bar, because not only are a diverse range of sauce toppings available, but also numerous free snack options, fruits, jellies. Anyone who chooses to visit this hotpot location can create a flavor that they enjoy from its sauce bar.
Compared to the other two restaurants, Mumu Hotpot is different in terms of general seating and eating format. The other venues only offer hot pots secured to the table, Mumu Hotpot offers separate individual pots, ensuring everyone can eat from a broth of their own choice. However, their customer service lacks Hai Di Lao’s appeal. For instance, while Hai Di Lao’s waiters cook shrimp paste for the customer because it’s tricky to handle, Mumu Hotpot leaves cooking the shrimp paste to the customer themself.
Typical hotpot restaurants exhibit family style eating, where portions are large and people order ingredients separately to allow for differing preferences. Conversely, Mumu Hotpot limits customers to ordering sets, where vegetables and add-ons are already decided and are not customizable. The sauce bar is nothing special, only providing traditional options. Nevertheless, the Mumu Hotpot format is an intriguing change from traditional hot pot restaurants, making it a good option for individuals or groups with different tastes.
Alternatively, Feng Hotpot’s food selection has numerous hotpot options as well as a lot of non-hotpot foods to choose from. Feng Hotpot’s fried rice, chicken wings, and fried pork bits compliment the hotpot. Unlike Hai Di Lao, which offers more generic side dishes, Feng Hotpot’s non-hotpot dishes boast their own unique flavor. Their chicken wings are fried with peanuts and a sweet and savory sauce, while Hai Di Lao’s chicken wings are simply seasoned with salt and pepper.
Feng Hotpot’s customer service does not stand out like Hai Di Lao’s, but their attention to customers still makes for a very enjoyable experience. When I found a mistake in my order and pointed it out to the servers, they made the change immediately, later giving me a free dessert as compensation. This restaurant also streams many trending Chinese variety shows and American sports, catering to a wide range of audiences’ interests as they eat food.
Hai Di Lao is a great option for exciting social gatherings along with hotpot dining, offering excellent customer service and a good variety of sauce bar selections. Meanwhile, Mumu Hotpot is one of the best choices for individual customers or large groups with different broth preferences. Finally, Feng Hotpot provides superior non-hotpot food, making it a suitable pick for menu variety. However, no matter which hotpot place you decide to try, you are sure to experience warmth and comfort from a delicious meal.
