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Operating out of her West Campus apartment, UT Austin junior and nail technician Isabella Leung uses a brush dipped in eyeshadow to create an ombre design on her client’s nails. 

As she works, she chats with her client and plays music in the background, emulating a standard nail salon environment. The only difference is that her client is sitting on a dresser in her bedroom instead of a chair at a salon.

Since her freshman year, Leung (@ileung._.nails) has provided nail services such as Gel X, builder gel and custom press-ons. She began doing nails for friends and family as a creative outlet, but now has established a growing client base among students. 

As the cost of living increases, it can be difficult for students to afford services like nail enhancements. Nail costs can be high, with salon prices in the United States averaging up to $30 for a basic manicure and up to $50 for services like gel, acrylics or designs, according to Zenoti. Results typically last for two to four weeks, causing some clients to spend over $100 per month to maintain their nails regularly. Booking with independent nail techs can be a solution for those seeking nail services without breaking the bank. 

On the table, a phone with a photo of Sam Mangloña’s nail inspiration rests near some nail supplies and brushes in Austin, Texas on March 11, 2026.  Mangloña noted that she always gravitates toward pink and green designs when she gets her nails done. Photo by Sarah Matthews. 

“I think typically prices are lower with smaller nail techs because it’s usually not our full-time job,” Leung said. 

Leung, like many independent techs, specializes in nail designs but offers competitive pricing compared to local salons. 

“If you do a lot of design work at a nail salon, it can add up,” Leung said. 

While she has several years of experience, Leung taught herself how to do nail designs and still learns new techniques based on her clients’ requests. 

“I think the artistic abilities came naturally for me because I’ve always been kind of creative,” Leung said.

As a student herself, Leung usually sees four to six clients per week. While the income can be unstable, she values the freedom to make her own schedule and prices. 

“I don’t charge based on length or time,” Leung said. “I just charge based on design, and I have a set price.”

Sam Mangloña, a UT Austin senior and friend of Leung, often seeks nail services from independent techs due to her upbringing. 

“I grew up on a small island, so we didn’t really have access to a lot of nail salons,” Mangloña said. “If you wanted to get your nails done, it was mostly just students or people in the community doing it.”

When getting her nails done, Mangloña prefers designs with pink and green accents. While she has booked with both salons and nail techs, Mangloña thinks the results vary. 

“I haven’t had the best experiences with [salons] getting the designs right,” Mangloña said. “I feel like smaller nail techs are better at recreating what I want.”

For other clients, the intimate home setting can be more comfortable than a salon atmosphere. UT Austin senior Sarai Sepulveda booked with Leung to get custom nails for her Ring Day and recalled feeling more at ease during the appointment. 

“When you’re going to an independent [nail tech], it’s a much more personalized, one-on-one experience,” said Sepulveda. 

For younger clients, booking with a nail tech close in age can be less intimidating.  

“A lot of times, I’m going to salons with older ladies,” Sepulveda said. “[Leung] is a college student, and we had a lot more in common than I thought we would.”

While traditional salons offer larger staff and walk-in availability, students are drawn to nail techs’ creativity and customization. 

“If I’m paying to get my nails done,” Mangloña said,  “I’d rather pay an individual artist who’s still learning how to perfect their craft and build their business.”

Due to ongoing Tower renovations, students and photographers seek new spots for senior pictures

By Sarah Matthews

While customers at a Raising Cane’s in Pflugerville ate lunch, UT senior Faith Aguilar took her graduation photos.

Since her freshman year, Aguilar has worked at the restaurant in addition to being a full-time student. Wearing her Cane’s hat along with her stole, she posed for the camera in an area containing Longhorn memorabilia. 

As renovations to the historic UT Tower continue, both graduates and photographers are looking for new locations to shoot senior pictures.

Since late 2024, the ongoing restoration project, “Our Tower: The Next 100 Years,” has affected how students take graduation photos. While exterior restoration efforts have been underway, an email from Vice President for Student Affairs John Dalton noted increased scaffolding beginning this month. According to UT News, the work is expected to last through summer 2027, heavily impacting the classes of 2026 and 2027. 

As the Tower becomes less visible, graduation photographers like UT alumna Maddie Lindell are noticing more demand for photos. In January, she had six shoots in two weeks, a significant increase compared to her workload during fall 2025. 

“I was trying to market off of the tower closing soon, but now that they sent out the email saying to get your pictures done before January, I have had eight shoots this month,” Lindell said. 

In addition to more clients, photographers are editing more extensively than before to remove signs of scaffolding and construction. Lindell learned new techniques on Adobe Photoshop and Adobe After Effects for thorough retouching, but now her editing process takes about two weeks per client. 

“I can see it becoming more and more of a time cost, and I do think that’s going to make prices skyrocket,” Lindell said. 

For clients who want pictures with the Tower, Lindell noted challenges getting the angles just right to avoid as much of the scaffolding as possible and shorten retouching times. 

“Last semester there was already construction, but I could get [the Tower] laying down or get creative,” Lindell said. “But the more recent ones I did, even from the lawn, you can still see the construction.”

To help students and photographers find alternative photo locations, UT Social Media Content Creator Bailey Evertson wrote an article with a visual guide of other iconic campus landmarks. 

“I just wanted to provide some spots that people could take photos and still capture that campus beauty without necessarily including the Tower,” Evertson said. 

Several locations she recommended include the Tower interior, Goldsmith Courtyard, The Canoes, and Battle Hall’s green doors. Evertson used her background as a graduation photographer to determine the photo spots. 

While it may be challenging to get photos with the Tower, Evertson emphasized the importance of shooting at places meaningful to the senior’s college experience. 

“I think that taking photos in a spot unique to you that maybe isn’t the cookie-cutter that everyone’s going to have is more important than having the quintessential photo that you’re looking to get,” Evertson said. 

Students like Aguilar are using the Tower construction as an opportunity for creativity, with her photo locations including the Perry-Castañeda Library, Littlefield Fountain, and Raising Cane’s. 

“I’ve been [at Raising Cane’s] for four years now, and I’ve spent a lot of time there, probably more time than I’ve spent at the Tower,” Aguilar said. 

While she enjoyed the experience and result, Aguilar highlighted students’ frustration and challenges about taking Tower photos during the project. 

“Anybody can take photos with a tree or flowers,” Aguilar said, “but not everybody gets to take graduation photos with the Tower.”

Despite the ongoing challenges, students in the upcoming classes may feel less connected to the Tower and continue to opt for unique locations. 

“I think [senior photos] are going to be more personalized,” Lindell said, “which I think is great because your photos are supposed to tell your story.”