So, what is the secret to academic success?

For one Prior Lake High School student, it is the popular fast-food chain, Taco Bell. Eshaan Dhavala, a senior here at Prior Lake, is ranked near the top of his class and happens to have a large passion for Taco Bell.

What started as a vegetarian fast-food alternative for Eshaan has quickly become one of his favorite cuisines around town. He credits his discovery of the restaurant to his older brother, who found out that you can easily substitute the meat in tacos for beans, thus making it a highly accessible form of fast food that is also vegetarian.

“My brother, who is six years older, discovered Taco Bell, where you can sub beef to beans always, so it was like a fast-food place that catered to us,” Eshaan said. “Obviously, when I started to grow up, he introduced me to that and showed me the ways.”

Eshaan used to make his Taco Bell trips around two times a week, but ever since he got his driver’s license, the weekly taco runs have nearly doubled. This, combined with the restaurant’s close proximity to him, allowed this bi-weekly event to turn into an almost daily occurrence.

“The closest one is 10 minutes away and 7 minutes if I’m really hungry. The people there all know me, and they know when I pull up, which makes it very accessible for me,” Eshaan said.

Even though Eshaan’s brother is one of the main culprits who influenced his Taco Bell obsession, there are more individuals who have taken notice of Eshaan’s snacking habits. One of them is Alec Ebling, a very close friend of Eshaan’s.

“You will see him go get Taco Bell almost every day; it’s just part of who he is now,” Alec said. “It’s definitely rubbed off on us as well; he’s just sharing the love.”

Eshaan’s lifestyle has seemingly become intertwined with Taco Bell, whether it be a post-study snack or a pre-workout meal. He seems to find himself stopping at the taco eatery very often. But what does Eshaan get on his daily trips?

“Up until two years ago, I would just go and order maybe a chalupa and a taco,” Eshaan said. “Then my friend introduced me to the build-your-own cravings box. It’s five dollars, recently up to six dollars for a specialty item which can be either a chalupa, the cheesy Gordita crunch, or the crunch wrap. Normally, they cost five dollars individually. You also get a side taco along with another side and a drink. It’s a very good deal.”

When Eshaan originally started bringing his friends along with him to Taco Bell, they were skeptical, but eventually Eshaan’s ways began to rub off onto them.

“I definitely did not understand the hype at first,” Alec said. “Time after time, I found myself going back with Eshaan. That’s when I kind of noticed that it got passed onto me without even realizing it.”

For Eshaan, Taco Bell stands for more than just a fast food stop. It’s a pillar of his day-to-day life that is a constant reminder that balance in life all helps other things fall into place. Eshaan continues to share this gift with many others, passing on the  thought that sometimes all you need in life is a good taco.