Starbucks Coffee has recently released their brand new drink & snack menu from their 2026 Valentine’s drop throughout January and February.  This holiday-themed menu consists of many different popular drinks that incorporate colors that showcase and celebrate the Valentine's day season. 

   Every year, Starbucks releases new food and drink specialty items that are only available for a limited time throughout  many holidays such as Valentines day and Christmas. This year's limited-edition menu consists of strawberry-themed cold brews, frappuccinos, and fruity matchas, along with Dubai-Chocolate bakery bites.

   Many differing opinions have grown towards this menu, some finding it extremely eccentric and an exciting celebration of the holiday, while others may find it similar to every year's Starbucks Valentines day menu.

   “They are definitely unique, different, and very on trend with what's popular on TikTok right now,” said Breana Scola '27.

   Some items in this menu consist of more intriguing flavor palettes that are open to a more distinct and intended audience of consumers. For instance, many of the items on this menu consist of matcha or pistachio flavored items, which while many enjoy these aspects, others may be drawn away from the menu entirely.

   “I don’t personally like pistachio, so it's definitely a weird choice because not everyone is going to like it,” continued Scola. 

  While some items on the menu may only appeal to certain people, this year's Valentines day menu has grown popular throughout social media, with many expressing high expectations towards the extensive list of items.

   “Starbucks succeeded in fulfilling my expectations. The things I have tried on the menu embody what Valentine's day should look and taste like,” noted Rachel Sullivan '27.

  No matter if you enjoy this year's Starbucks menu as a staple or decide not to purchase, it is certainly worth it to check it out and celebrate this year's Valentines day season. 

    Freshman year of high school is the most important year of high school. When students first get to high school, everything matters and everything affects the rest of the three years that they will be there. Their grades, behavior, reputation, and everything else they do throughout their first year will shape their whole high school life.

    Senior year is just as important as freshman year for various reasons. College applications, graduation, prom, and much more are coming up and these are things that nobody wants to miss out on. When they realize their teenage years are coming to an end everything starts to hit them and they begin to remember their life in elementary school and how much they’re gonna miss being a kid.

     Kayla Coleman has been attending Lakeview High School for four years, and things are beginning to become more memorable than before. She was a track athlete throughout high school and also maintained good grades, but now it is time to prepare for something greater.

    High school can teach people many things. Coleman however learned something extremely essential for moving ahead in the future.

   “Something that high school taught me was to be myself no matter what anyone thinks and to be consistent with whatever my goals are,” Coleman stated.

    Learning is essential for the future. You make your own path when you decide what to do in the moment, which is why it is important to think before you make any sudden decisions. High School can be extremely stressful, so find something to distract you from the hardships like Coleman did.

   “I am most proud of  maintaining good grades, and good friendships when it was hard,” said Coleman.

    Taking advice from your peers is also essential to growing up. When you make mistakes you learn from them but sometimes nobody redirects you on how to do the right thing next time. It’s important to try to get to know many people so that you can learn from them to not make other mistakes. 

    “Some advice I would give to the underclassman is to focus, nothing is more important than your future,” said Coleman.

    Indeed, nothing is as important as your future. Even if you make a thousand mistakes you can always bounce back on foot with hard work and dedication. It is also important to cherish your high school years for as long as you can as well as trying to have fun. Attending school events like football games, basketball games, school dances, and joining clubs can all contribute to the fun. 

    “My favorite part is the people I met through the years,” said Coleman.

    You never know who or what you’ll come across when you try out for that sport, or when you join that club. Always go for what you set your mind to and never back down when you feel judged. 

    “ Kayla has impacted my life in so many different ways when it comes to just being a good individual in itself. She has never led me wrong! She is literally my problem solver. Throughout these past 4 years she has really taught me what a true friend is and what I should look for in everyone who tries to enter my life,” Trinity Mason, ‘26 explained.

     It’s important to take every year of high school seriously, but it is also important that you have fun as well. So, go put yourself out there and join that chess club , try out for the basketball team. Who cares if you are judged , make the most of your high school years because you only can do it once.

   While most students spend their fall weekends watching football from the couch, a group of teachers at Lakeview High School were following the NFL a little more closely than usual. Behind the scenes, several staff members took part in a fantasy football league, turning the season into a friendly competition that lasted from September through December.

   By the end of the season, Social Studies educator Shane Smith emerged as the league champion. Smith declined to comment on his season, choosing not to disclose details about his strategy or experience in the league. Even without public insight from the winner, his performance stood out as a shocker to the members in the league.

   While Smith finished on top, Foreign Language teacher Anne De La Vega found herself on the opposite end of the standings, earning the Toilet Bowl title after a challenging season. De La Vega explains her poor experience with autodrafting.

    “This was the first time I did Autodraft… and it's on me, I wasn’t really in it this year.” She continues to reflect on the season… “I just didn’t keep up with my team, I didn’t look to make any trades.”

   Behind the scenes, Art Teacher Jamie Donoghue, the league manager, played a key role in keeping the league organized. From setting up the draft to managing weekly matchups, Donoghue explains why he started a league for the teachers.

  “I’ve always been into fantasy football and I used to do this at my old school, so when I came to Lakeview I wanted to bring it here, and so we’ve been doing it every year since I’ve been here.” 

    When asked what a memorable moment was from the season, he responded, “Mr. Spano was way out in front until the very end of the season, and he ended up in third place, and Mr. Smith came from behind and won the league.”

   One of the strongest teams during the regular season belonged to Computer Apps teacher Spano, who was widely viewed as the favorite to win the league. His roster dominated the early matchups, he explains how that happened, 

   “When we drafted, I took a risk on Christian McCaffrey because I thought he was gonna have a big comeback year, and it was PPR league, and so I grabbed Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Drake London, and they’re just target hogs, so they helped quite a bit.”

   Another teacher who had a rough season was Math teacher Ben Haberek, who finished with a 5-9 record and narrowly missed the playoffs by one spot. Haberek describes the most frustrating part of finishing one spot outside the playoff picture.

    “I think the answer is right there in the question, I should’ve been in the playoffs instead of on the outside looking in… I felt like the Lions.”

    The league also featured Coach Threet, the school’s football coach, who brought a unique perspective to fantasy football. Threet explained how his real-life coaching experience influenced his fantasy football. 

   “It doesn’t at all. I am an absentee owner for the entire Lakeview football season, and then once the season’s over, then I look at fantasy football.” Threet also explains the difference between building a successful fantasy roster and building a winning football program. “One has everything to do with luck, that being fantasy football, and building a winning high school football team is all about commitment, hard work, dedication and buy in.”

   As the season comes to a close, many teachers are already looking ahead to next year. Whether competing for a championship or hoping for redemption, the league showed that a little competition can go a long way in bringing a school community together.

   The first edition of Mozzy Magic listed the criteria by which one would rate their mozzarella sticks based on presentation. While presentation is important, what's absolutely held above all is the taste of the mozzarella sticks you receive.

   No matter how good they look, if your mozzarella sticks taste subpar, you're not going to want to eat them again. Though, there's one challenge that rating taste presents: subjectivity.

   Taste is subjective; there's no way around that. There are some things people will never like, and some things other people will never stop loving. This challenge can be overcome simply by knowing what tends to yield the best results, and this guide has been built around this idea.

   The categories we'll be judging are Oil, Breading, Cheese, and Sauce. These four categories define the ideal taste of any mozzarella sticks.

   Firstly, the oil. This category is pretty simple. Residual oil is a fast way to ruin mozzarella sticks. This is because the oil will stick to your fingers and prevent sauces from sticking to the mozzarella stick. Give one point for slightly oily, and give two points for dry. The point maximum in this category is 2.

   Next up: the breading. The breading is very important because it preserves the integrity of the mozzarella stick and determines how hard it’s going to be to eat cleanly. A mozzarella stick with poor breading density or quality will easily break if you bend it with light pressure or press down on the center. They may also fall apart or leave lots of crumbs in your sauce. If there’s a lot of steam coming off of the mozzarella sticks by the time they reach your table, they likely aren’t breaded well. A mozzarella stick with good breading will provide a little resistance when bent or pressed and may release steam upon breaking. Award one point for elastic resistance, one point for compression resistance, and one point for steam trapping. Add each point as you see fit to a maximum of three.

   Up next is the cheese. The cheese is incredibly important to the mozzarella stick’s, well, everything. Many restaurants will use various tactics to shortcut this part of making mozzarella sticks, thinking people won’t notice, but it’s shockingly easy to identify. Always be sure to test with a break down the middle while bending either side for best results. The first technique you’ll learn is the cheese pull. Once the break is made, gently pull from either end outward with one hand moving toward the sky and the other hand moving significantly slower toward the table. If the cheese tears early, it’s poor quality cheese and you should award zero points. If the cheese stretches but holds its form the entire time, even after a long stretch, it’s decent quality cheese and should be awarded one point. Also, be wary of a choking hazard with these ones as you’re bound to choke on the cheese because it doesn’t separate easily. If the cheese stretches over a long distance, but will lose its form more and more over time, it’s good quality cheese and you should award two points. Now, if the cheese is rubbery and tastes okay, it’s likely made with a cheese stick and should be awarded no points. If it’s smooth and tastes nice, award one point. This category has a maximum of three points.

   Last thing up is the sauce. This one’s simple. Add one point for each sauce that tastes good, It’s entirely up to you! You should remove a point, however, if the marinara is served with meat in it, as you get less sauce for something you can’t actually put on your mozzarella stick. This category’s point maximum is two.

   This is the most comprehensive guide to seeing through the market to know what your mozzarella sticks really are; however, you should feel free to judge things the way you feel is best and enjoy the things you like. This guide is entirely subjective and can be changed out for new categories of your own making. Making mozzarella sticks to your tastes is the fastest way to getting the best mozzarella sticks.

   On Nov. 6, 2025, Starbucks Coffee Shop released their annual Christmas menu across America and other countries to begin celebrating the holidays and draw more attention to their business.

   Starbucks has released a Christmas menu every single year since 1984, starting with only a new coffee bean option and leading to a variety of fun and festive drinks. The menu motivates thousands of people to go to Starbucks and try something new that they may not be familiar with.

      The holiday menu includes drinks like peppermint mocha, iced sugar cookie latte, iced gingerbread chai, caramel brulee latte, and the eggnog latte. They also include a snowman cookie, cinnamon pull-apart bread, sugar plum cheese danish, and a polar bear cake pop. The menu is in place until this holiday season is over, so most likely around the beginning of January. You’ll want to try these festive and fun drinks and food options, so get them before it’s too late.

   A consistent Starbucks drinker, Leah Tripp, ‘27, stated, “The menu makes me feel so happy, almost like I'm driving through the north pole going to see elves.”

   Tripp has been going to Starbucks for many years and has tried almost every christmas drink. Out of every single option, she chose the gingerbread chai. She believes it has a sweet and savory taste that leaves her wanting more every single time and never fails to bring back the Christmas spirit.

   Another consistent Starbucks drinker, Anna Bunte, ‘27, said “The christmas menu gets me in the festive spirit and motivates me to want to go get it.”

   Bunte has much interest in the Christmas menu, but said she overall prefers the fall menu. Bunte’s favorite drink is the iced sugar cookie    with vanilla cold foam on the top, but she also likes the gingerbread chai, along with Tripp.

 Every year, when the leaves start to fall, Alani Nu releases their limited-edition flavor, Witches Brew, which is a caramel apple flavored energy drink, all around the United States, in order to keep people buying their items and to create a signature flavor for their brand.

The Witches Brew Alani is a very controversial drink (if there is such a thing), for most people either hate it or love it. It is a very sweet and savory drink, that is the perfect balance of candy-like sweetness and fruity tartness. Though the drink may be too sugary for some, many others believe the sweet taste they get is the best part of the drink. It's a fun and festive drink that draws people's attention every single year. Would you want to try this caramel apple drink?

   Lola Fett, ‘27  stated, “It's the perfect mixture of like sour and sweet and when you open the can you can just smell fall”.

   Fett has been an Alani Nu drinker for a while and has one basically every day. She would even say it's her favorite flavor even after trying them all. There are many flavors out there she loves, but witches brew has stood out to her since the beginning. Compared to other alanis she believes it has such a unique taste and truly stands out amongst all of the other flavors.

   Avery Sails, ‘27,  someone who doesn’t drink Alanis as much, agrees that the witches brew alani is amazing, but she believes it's not the best one.

    “Witches brew is really good but like it’s not the best flavor out there,” said Sails.

    Sails has also tried every flavor of Alanis, but isn’t a fanatic like Fett. She believes Alanis are bad for you in general, but can be helpful in certain situations. Though she doesn’t crack open a can every day, she has a valid opinion, because everyone has different opinions and many tiktok videos show the effects  of constantly drinking them.

 Many people underrate young love but there’s something special in it that people can't ignore. Young love is not perfect, but because of how raw and real it feels shows how beautiful and valuable it truly is. 

   Young love is so valuable because it teaches you things you can't learn anywhere else. It shows you how to handle your emotions, how to be vulnerable, and what you want from your future partner and  your future self. Even if it doesn't last forever, those lessons and memories become part of you and your ideology.

   “Every person I once loved showed me more of who I am and what I truly need, not just in someone else, but in myself as well," said senior Madison Traskie.

   Some people don't agree with young love. They think it's too soon to understand what love is, but young love has some of the most impactful emotions, good or bad they make them the most unforgettable memories. Young people live in a time where life is not too complicated so why is it so wrong to experience this feeling and enjoy the moment while we are still in it.  

   “When I remember those days I am  like - Wow! - because you can't believe it. Those were some of the best memories I have had, ” said Lakeviews engineering teacher Jolaine Price

   The beauty of young love isn't how long it lasts, it’s about all the emotions, memories, and lessons you have experienced through it. Young love isn't about perfection it’s about feeling something so raw, so real , so unforgettable.

In 1987, McDonald’s launched a Monopoly-themed sweepstakes with a grand prize of one million dollars, and now, in 2025, there is talk of the game returning. 

   The game was widely liked until 2001, when a scandal emerged revealing that almost all the big winners had ties to a worker at the third-party company that administered the sweepstakes. In the end, 53 people were indicted in the McDonald’s fraud.

   McDonald's cut ties with the company in 2001. Despite this fraud, the game continued until 2016 and is now making a comeback 10 years later. 

   Although most of the game is played online in the McDonald's app now, leading people to believe that the game being rigged is unlikely. There are still physical game pieces like the ones that were used in previous games, meaning that cheating is theoretically just as easy as before. 

   There are concerns about the tactics that McDonald's uses to keep people coming back and the effect on health that they have because of the hope that they have to win one million dollars. 

   “I think they probably shouldn’t bring it back, because it makes me want fast food more. That’s the psychology of it, that’s why they do it right,” said art teacher James Donoghue.

“You get one coffee and you're like, well, I better go back to get a muffin. I might win one million dollars.”

   Some take McDonald's word and simply see this promotion as a fun and nostalgic game.

   “I think it should come back,” said freshman Delayna Garrisi, “It's getting more promotion for McDonald's, and it's just something fun to do.”

   “Since they cut ties with the business that was involved with the scam, I think it's unlikely that this will happen again,” Garrisi added. 

Likewise, Spanish teacher Jeffrey Kaspari said, “Yes, it should come back. It’s a fun game. People loved it. I loved it.”

   However, one more point is that even if the fraudulent aspect of the sweepstakes is removed, there is still an astronomically low chance of winning. One calculation showed that if all rules were followed in the McDonald's Monopoly game, the likelihood of winning would still be 1 in 5.9 billion

   So, even if the game is no longer rigged by business insiders the odds were never in the consumers' favor to begin with.

   It has just been announced that Bad Bunny is officially the halftime performer for the Super Bowl 2026.

    Bad Bunny is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer known as “King of Latin Trap”. He is a grammy winning artist from his success with Spanish-language music.His stage name comes from a viral childhood photo of him wearing a grumpy-faced bunny costume.Bad Bunny’s first hit was “Soy Peor(I’m worse)”.

   Ever since then he has been booming with almost 50 million followers on instagram and 35.2 million on TikTok. There are mixed emotions for it being him performing this year at the SuperBowl like,

   “I don’t really care, Go Bad Bunny,” said Saless Engram ‘28.

   ”It gives like representation of the hispanic community,” said by Kayleigh Bell, ‘27.

   Bunny posted an Instagram video of himself sitting on a football goal post on a beach with the title: Super Bowl LX. Bay Area. February 2026.

    The top 3 biggest Super Bowl in history have been Kendrick Lamar with 133.5 million viewers. Next is Michael Jackson with 133.4 million viewers. Lastly is Usher with 123.4 million viewers. Maybe Bad Bunny can join the top  5. He is going on Tour soon from November 21,2025 until July 22,2026. 

   “I don’t listen to his music at all, am I gonna just watch it, yes I am,”Said by Briel Johnson class of ‘29.

Walking into Amigos Street Tacos, the first thing guests notice is the warm calm vibe. Located at 22428 Greater Mack Ave Saint Clair Shores, MI Amigos is known for being a hidden gem. Their Mexican food is top notch with big portions, great pricing, and delicious taste.

   The atmosphere is very cozy with the soft Mexican music, small layout, and Mexican decorations creating the overall vibe. The staff is quick, helpful, and so friendly which makes the dining experience welcoming and smooth. 

   “Amigos bring that warmth that people are consistently looking for and the servers always help and have a smile on their face,” said Senior Boston Davis, who is a regular at Amigos. 

   Popular food items are their birria tacos and California burrito, both offering fresh, rich, and warm flavors. The standout dish is the birra ramen thanks to the proportion, and flavors that make you fall in love with the meal.

   “ I love Mexican food but this place brings it to another level. I've never had a bad meal there,” said Utica Senior Nick Braun, who recently went to Amigos.

   Most dishes cost between $10-12, making the prices affordable and fair  especially for the portions they give you. Overall the food has a great value and it's definitely worth the price.

   “This place is great specially because I usually pay for my friends so this lets me have comfort knowing it won't be much.” Said Senior Louie Makris, who is a regular at Amigos.

   Overall ,Amigos Street Tacos, is the best place to fill that craving you have been looking for. With its amazing dishes, Pricing, and atmosphere, the restaurant is worth trying at least once and it will immediately become a staple in your weekend plans.

  Over the past year, a new fashion and aesthetic trend has emerged on the internet: ballet core. 

   It is characterized by soft pink tones, cropped wrap sweaters, leg warmers, and ballet flats. This style has taken over TikTok, with thousands of videos of people showcasing their outfits inspired by ballet. Even major fashion brands have taken on this trend, featuring ballet-inspired ad campaigns and photoshoots. 

   However, many dancers have called out these brands for hiring models instead of actual dancers to promote their new looks, saying that it undermines the hard work and skill one must have to be a ballerina. 

   “Watching models pose in pointe shoes at a ballet barre with bad technique is so hard to watch,” said sophomore Josephine Zimmerman, who has been taking ballet for 13 years. “There are millions of dancers waiting for the opportunity to showcase their skills. It is not hard to find a dancer willing to take photos for an ad.”

   While some dancers feel frustrated by the way ballet core romanticizes ballet without acknowledging the hard work that goes behind it, others do not mind the trend as much.

   “I don’t really care that much because it's not really hurting anyone,” said Madeline Cornwell, ‘25. “I think people just like the idea of ballet, not actually taking a class.”

   Despite such mixed opinions between dancers, many love the aesthetic simply for wearing the clothes, knowing that it's not appropriate or safe to attempt to try on pointe shoes with little to no dance experience. 

   “I don't even dance anymore, but I like the vibe of it,” said Tye Piotruchowski, ‘26.

   With major brands continuing to launch ballet-inspired clothing and influencers showing off their looks, ballet core has caught a lot of attention, whether it be good or bad. 

   There have been debates for the past couple of years about whether Chipotle is better than Qdoba or if Qdoba is better than Chipotle. I took matters into my own hands and decided to see which restaurant chain is better in terms of taste, freshness, quality, portion sizes, price differences, and healthier food options. 

   Starting with price differences, I easily noticed that the prices of the meat were around the same, with Qdoba being a few cents to a dollar more. Depending on the meal you can choose from both restaurants, the option for a side of chips and dip of your choice and beverage of your choice has an upcharge of the same price, $4.55, Chipotle being ten cents more, $4.65. Drinks aren’t an additional price at Qdoba, as you pay for the chips, dip and beverage. However, at Chipotle, their drinks range from $3.15-3.50 depending on what drink you choose. 

   Continuing with quality, freshness, and healthier options, both chains have healthier options when it comes to food decisions like salads. Both places also have the previous options to add whatever you like to your meals; protein meats, veggies, salsas and sauces, and of course to add a side if that’s your current mood. Although, there’s been controversy about Chipotle having stale or non fresh ingredients and meats being put in customer’s food. English teacher Michael Binge argues against this. 

   “The meat at Chipotle is better than the meat at Qdoba, and the chicken has great quality. All of the meat has better flavor and more of it compared to the meat at Qdoba. Everything is fresh and has a good flavor. I have been to both Chipotle and Qdoba and the prices aren’t really that different but I love it so much because back in my college days it was very affordable, ” states Binge. 

   Furthermore, Qdoba has been ranked to be liked even better than Chipotle in terms of taste and freshness. Sophomore Kirra Poirier explains her love for Qdoba’s food items. 

   “I love the flavors of the bowls, and I believe they have healthier options than they do at Chipotle. The portions are the same, but you can always expect fresh, flavorful, powerful, and outstanding meals from Qdoba. I like it way more than Chipotle,” Poirier, ‘27.

   The overall thoughts upon both the restaurant chains can truly only be based on consumer’s opinion and how the restaurants display their products to the customers.

   Trick-or-treating is a cherished memory for nearly everyone from childhood, but at what age does it begin to fade? 

   Students at Lakeview High School may still embrace this annual Halloween tradition, or they may have opted for different activities instead.

   “I went trick or treating last year when I was in eighth grade... I probably will again,” said Tommy Petroske, ’28.

   Many students continue to trick or treat into middle school and even through the early years of high school. However, most choose to attend parties or stay home with family and friends instead. 

   Unfortunately, many students feel pressured by the stereotypical high school experience, leading them to believe that they can't go trick or treating and must go to parties instead.

    “I am going to a party, but people should trick or treat for as long as they enjoy it,” said Liam Atkins ‘26. 

   While this isn’t always the case, some students genuinely wish to go out. Personally, I felt that pressure during my early high school years as well. 

   Some high schoolers can get the best of both worlds!

   “I'm not actively trick-or-treating, but I'm going with my little brother, and then I have some plans after,” Addyson Jacquemain, ‘25.

   The best way to spend Halloween is to enjoy the nostalgia of trick-or-treating and make the experience even better with your loved ones. 

   So, high schoolers typically stop trick or treating once they start driving and can attend other activities. But there is no shame in wanting to dress up and get some candy. 

   High schoolers are still kids and should be able to do what they want to make their Halloween memorable. 

  As of this past September, the Coca-Cola and Oreo brands embarked on a new marketing campaign that consisted of combining the products in rather puzzling ways.

   They released an Oreo-flavored Coke Zero drink, as well as Coke-flavored Oreos to round out the collaboration. 

   All in all, the collaboration was a success with the intriguing collab bringing in lots of sales and attention to the brands. 

   Lakeview Student, Aidan Bastine, ‘25, said, “I think it’s great marketing. I don't think anyone could’ve predicted that this was going to be a collaboration which probably led to a lot of attention.”

   While it succeeded in bringing in sales, the overall quality of the products is another conversation. The Coke-flavored Oreos, specifically, were very polarizing.

   They had a very interesting combination of tastes, with the flavor coming from the cream in the middle. While you could tell it was “Coke-flavored,” the taste didn’t sit right and left a very unrewarding aftertaste in the mouth.

   “If I had to give it a rating out of 10… I’d say probably a 0/10,” Lakeview Newspaper teacher, Anthony Savalle  said. 

   The 0/10 rating given by Savalle properly sums up the Coke-flavored Oreo experience. It’s definitely not their best work. The Oreo-flavored Coke, on the other hand, exceeded expectations. 

   Even though they claim the drink has zero sugar, the sweet taste of the drink makes you think otherwise. As far as an Oreo-flavored drink can go, Coca-Cola succeeded in making an enjoyable drink. 

   “It kind of tasted like Vanilla Coke, just less vanilla-y and more Oreo-y,” Lakeview student, Ashton Stonik, 26’, said.

   Is it better than your original Coke? Probably not, but still a purchase worth making if need be.

   Overall, the Coke-Oreo experiment was a blunder on the snack side, but rather successful on the drink side. Try it out and form your own opinions on the matter!

   Starbucks recently released their new summer drink called the summer-berry refresher.

   This drink came out on Tuesday, May 7. It consists of a blue raspberry base mixed with either water, lemonade, or coconut milk and has a scoop of raspberry boba popping pearls.

   Starbucks has been teasing this drink for the last month and people didn’t know whether to believe them or not. 

   People who have tried the one made with lemonade have seemed to have bad reviews on it and just really not enjoy the drink overall.

   “I think that it just tastes like a watered down blue raspberry slushie but it is very tarte and I don’t enjoy that,” said Peyton Miskelly, ‘25.

   The one made with water has gotten a little bit better reviews than the one with lemonade. It is less tarte tasting and just a simple drink.

   “I got the one with water for the first time, and I think it basically just tasted like a normal refresher, just blue raspberry,” said Trinity Koehn, ‘26.

   Now, the drink made with coconut milk has much better reviews as it’s less sweet and acts more like a real boba drink rather than lemonade.

   “I really liked the blue raspberry drink with coconut milk in it. It kinda just reminds me of the pink drink which is my favorite so I really enjoyed it,” said Isabelle Shermetaro, ‘24.

   Popping boba pearls are a new addition to Starbucks. You can now add these boba pearls to any refresher you’d like if you don’t want them in your summer drink. 

   “ I really like the boba in the drink. I love boba in general and I love that Starbucks brought it to their store and I can now add it to my favorite drinks,” said Blayden Swinyer, ‘26.

   If you haven’t tried the new Starbucks drink yet, definitely go to your nearest Starbucks and try it for yourself to see which one you like best. 

   Faygo is and has been one of Michigan's best creations for decades. From its charming advertising to its wide array of flavors, Faygo is a particularly personality-filled drink steeped in a rich history that is sure to satisfy the average consumer as much as drinking a Faygo itself. 

   Faygo has many iterations of its flavors, including the classics like red pop and grape, the Ohana line of tropical fruit flavors, the tonics and sparkling waters, and all the other members of the Faygo family of flavors.

   Detroit’s own Faygo has been a popular Michigan treat as far back as the early 1900s, and made it out of Michigan to the rest of the nation in the late 1960s. Faygo has humble beginnings, created by Russian immigrant bakers Perry and Ben Feigenson and delivered by the two door-to-door. Its unique flavors gained substantial popularity among Michiganders. 

   Faygo’s popularity grew even larger when its own mascots Black Bart and The Faygo Kid aired on TV in 1956. After that, Faygo would make many advancements as a drink company, launching diet variations of their flavors as well as canned versions. In 2017, Faygo celebrated its 110th birthday with a float in the Thanksgiving Day parade.

   Since Faygo has created over 50 flavors and variations of their product, there are bound to be some favorites and least favorites. In 2009, Bon Appetit magazine declared Faygo Root Beer one of America's best root beers. 

   Since then, many of us, including myself, have most likely tried at least one of their many flavors. I have tried many of their flavors and can confidently say my top 3 are Firework, Rock and Rye, and Cotton Candy. I do admit those are some of the more outlandish choices, but luckily, there are many other flavors to enjoy as well. 

   Junior Jack Fasseel, who claims to be a local Faygo fanatic, is no stranger to the world of Faygo’s various flavors. His favorite flavor is Cotton Candy, and he typically finds himself enjoying Faygo on Fridays. “Faygo is up there, but it’s below a couple of choices,” Fasseel says. He believed Faygo is only outranked by certain flavors of Coca-Cola and Mountain Dew. Fasseel also mentioned that his least favorite flavor of Faygo is Ginger Ale. 

   In the beauty community, everyone has been going crazy over the e.l.f. Cosmetics dupes that they keep coming out with. E.l.f. is a brand that is well known for having good products for a cheaper price. 

   The e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Filter is one of the biggest dupes for the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. 

   These two products are made to be a multipurpose, liquid glow booster. Comparing the prices, e.l.f.  Halo Glow retails at the  price of $14, and Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter retails for $49.  

   After many makeup artists  compared the two products, they came to the conclusion that the e.l.f. one is the better option considering that they do the same thing with a $35 price difference. 

   The Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Freeze has been a big product in the makeup community. Anastasia’s Website claims that it has “An extreme-hold styling wax that lifts and holds brows in place for a feathered effect”.

   E.l.f. came out with the e.l.f. Brow Lift and people noticed how comparable they are. The e.l.f. Website states that the brow lift is “an extreme-hold clear eyebrow shaping wax that hold your brows in place for a fluffy, feathered soap brow look.”

   The Brow freeze has .26 oz for its $23 price point. The Brow lift includes .31 oz for its $6 price. Recently, people have drifted more towards the e.l.f. Brow Lift because they have the same effect but a $17 price drop. 

   E.l.f. came out with their Halo Glow Liquid Blush Wand right after the Halo Glow liquid Filter came out. 

   Right away, people noticed that it looked exactly like the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand that people have been going crazy about.

   Both brands Websites claim that they are “A glowy liquid blush wand with a cushion-tip applicator to give cheeks a pop of radiant color.”

   After trying out the products from both brands, people have said that it is a good dupe and they work very similarly, but they like the Charlotte Tilbury product more. 

   Retailing at $9, the e.l.f. Halo Glow Liquid Blush Wand is a good alternative if you can not afford the $42 Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand. 

   I am a big e.l.f. Cosmetics supporter and I think that their products work great for me. 

   I use them everyday and would rather buy the cheaper product for the same quality as High-End products.