By the end of second period, upperclassmen are busy talking or texting about their lunch plans. While people are scrambling to make plans, no one considers staying on campus as an option. Carlsbad High has allowed for everyone except freshmen an off-campus lunch; however, this is not necessarily an excellent thing.
Everyone automatically likes the idea of an off-campus lunch because it provides them with freedom. Students often feel denied this liberty while they are locked up “on the inside.” Sure, school is not like jail, but it is easy to grow claustrophobic from the construction and tire of being locked up by cold metal fences. But students need to be able to overlook this tradition and chew over the idea of an on-campus lunch instead.
“I loved how everyone in middle school got to know each other because everyone stayed at the school. It was a lot of fun and I think it still would be,” Junior Abigail Solar said.
When people have the option to leave school during lunch they are most likely going to and chances are that they are not going ask that random person in chemistry out to lunch, but instead resort to their own group of friends. If students stayed then they would get to hang out with their old friends while getting to know new people as well.
Parking is also a major problem with an off-campus lunch. It can summed up best by Junior Matt Crowder.
“It’s disastrous,” Crowder said.
Students already have to deal with the parking situation twice a day and that is plenty. They do not have enough room to maneuver around through neighborhoods and backstreets which were not intended to be used as parking lots.
“I’ve gotten hit a couple times already because people are always rushing around trying to park fast to get to class,” Junior Angelina Lamb said.
By the time a student gets to a restaurant (generally of fast food caliber) they only have about ten minutes to eat, sometimes less, if they want to be able to show up to their last period class without breaking a sweat.
“I usually just go to my house to eat lunch because I hate dealing with the crowds at the food places around the school,” Junior Chris Mendenhall said.
Eating at home remains an option for those who live close to the school, but unless it is a reasonable walking distance they would still have to deal with parking.
The school provides food options that are both cheap and hassle-free.The cafeteria has over thirty hot meal options they can choose from. At least eight of these meals are offered everyday. Lancer Jacks offers many snack options, along with the Lancer favorite: burritos.
If these options are not not satisfactory, than both the cafeteria staff and Lancer Jacks student workers are more than willing to listen to food suggestions. The greater the number of students who stay at lunch, the more food options the cafeteria and Lancer Jacks can supply.
The limited space to eat lunch remains a problem; students barely have a place to sit down and eat. Given, the problem will not subside completely until construction is complete. However, additional seating arrangements and tables could greatly help the issue. Lancer Jacks previously donated furniture to the library from their proceeds and would be able to help raise more money for this cause if students helped by buying from them.
“If Lancer Jacks makes a small margin than we donate it to the school,” Teacher Mrs. Francois said.
On campus lunch would allow students to hang out with all of their friends, save money and time, avoid fender benders, and yes; even allow you to spend time with that crush you have not had the courage to ask out.
