The bell rings, students rush towards the cafeteria post three to four long hours of class. Excited to grab something to eat, they look forward to a relaxing 30-minute break and an appetizing meal. Lately, however, whether it’s a slice of pizza, a sandwich, or a bowl of soup it can take up to 15 minutes to get lunch. After a five-minute passing time period and waiting in line to get their food, students are not left with much time to eat after waiting in line.
Instead of getting the full lunch period to relax, eat and talk to their friends, the majority of it is spent in line waiting. This lack of time to rest and eat has a negative impact on a time otherwise crucial to their overall wellbeing.
According to the University of Washington, “When students are given enough time to eat lunch, they have a better nutritional status. Nutrition status directly affects academic achievement, conduct, and overall school performance.”
Sophomore Abigail Lopez regularly gets the school-provided lunch. She has noticed that the lines have gotten increasingly longer compared to previous years.
“There are some days where it feels like everyones dragging their feet and it feels like the lines are taking extra long,” Lopez said. “I don’t have as much time to eat and by the time I get there the food can just be gone or there aren’t as many options, especially because I have B lunch.”
Lunch is also a time for students to socialize and refresh their minds before finishing the rest of the school day. That time shouldn’t be sacrificed to waiting in line to get a good meal.
“If the lunch lines were shorter it would give students more time to eat and it would allow them to get in and out quicker and they’d have more time to socialize with their friends,” Lopez said. “I feel like it would overall contribute to a better mentality.”
Students should be aware of the limited time and get their lunch as efficiently as possible. However, there could be more solutions, like providing more lines or creating a more successful layout, to make lunch a faster and easier process for everyone.
Even though the lines can get lengthy and students may get impatient to get their lunch, it is important to recognize that the high school staff is working hard to provide fast service and an overall positive experience.
