VALHACKS

five pairs: Carson and Carolyn, Yam Yam and Frannie, Heidi and Jaime, Brandon and Lauren, and Kane and Brandon. In the first section, Carolyn struggled mightily through a twisted, muddy net. This led to her and Carson’s exit from the challenge. The next section used planks to cross a rope bridge. The Yam Yam-Frannie and Heidi-Jaime pairings lost there.

The last part of the challenge was a classic pain tolerance and endurance test. Brandon, Danny, Lauren, and Kane stood between two walls with their feet perched on small footholds. The longer the challenge lasted, the lower the remaining contestants had to climb. The lower they got, the smaller the foothold. All four contestants performed admirably, but Lauren ended up winning the individual immunity necklace.

Back at camp, the Ratus planned to eliminate Frannie, who they perceived as the biggest threat in Soka. In their minds, they had a stronghold on the game. They told Yam Yam, Carson, and Carolyn the plan and assumed it was a done deal. Ratu even told the other Soka (Heidi and Danny) their plan. Their confidence bordered on cockiness, which is often punished in “Survivor.”

In reality, the scheming was far from over. Now aware of the plan, Danny told Heidi about his idol and said he’d play it on Frannie. This would cancel the votes against her and eliminate the Ratu member of Soka’s choosing. Soon after, Heidi told Yam Yam and Carson about the idol. This was risky. Yam Yam is a walking source of drama — it’d be so easy to envision him running to Ratu and spoiling the plan. If Ratu knew about the idol plan, they could switch the votes to Danny or Heidi and send either one home. Danny recognized this possibility and faced a dilemma — trusting an untrustworthy player or losing an ally.

In the end, Danny trusted Yam Yam. He played his idol for Frannie, which canceled out the six votes for her and sent Brandon home. All four Soka players had their jaws open and their eyes wide — the road to the end wouldn’t be as easy as they thought. Interestingly, Carson and Yam Yam voted for Frannie. This idea likely came from Soka and was probably to fool Ratu into thinking the Tika three were still loyal to them. Despite this, I think those three will continue to bounce back and forth between the other two alliances.

The Three Stooges made it through another vote intact! Now, the game is even: three Ratu, three Soka, and three Tika. Tune in next week to see which tribes gain an advantage and which falls behind.

In this issue of Val Hacks, Ivy Haight ’25 shares how to make a healthy, delicious fruit salad and savory bagel sandwich for a delicious brunch. Follow the recipes for your new favorite fruit-filled or protein-packed brunch treat!

Sometimes, Val can be overwhelming. The bustle right before class time, the flurry of folks rushing in, and the potential to see every single person you know make for a stressful dining experience. If you’re feeling this, an easy to-go meal might be the perfect solution. I usually eat this as breakfast or brunch on the weekend when I need to take some time in my room during a meal. If you really need a quick in-and-out of Val, you can skip some of the add-ons. For this meal, you’ll need a large and a small to-go box.

Fruit Salad (big box)

Directions

• Grab a green apple, red apple, banana, berries from the yogurt station, and any other fruits of your choosing.

• Mix a spoonful of yogurt and two pumps of honey in a sauce container.

• Take a slice of lemon from the drink station.

• Finish the meal in your room:

• Cut each fruit into small pieces.

• Pour the honey-yogurt sauce onto the fruit.

• Squeeze the lemon slice over the fruit salad.

• Close the lid to the box and shake!

Bagel Sandwich (small box)

Directions

• Toast a bagel of your choice.

• Grab eggs, sausage (I go with the MorningStar vegan patty), cheese, and any other fillings you would like while the bagel is toasting. If you want this for lunch, use the ingredients from the sandwich station. Bonus: you avoid awkwardly standing by the toasters while you wait for your bagel.

• Place your chosen fillings onto the bagel and voila, a bagel sandwich!