At the start of this school year, returning students were hit with a great surprise when they looked at their newly distributed schedules. Lunch, which was previously separated into an early and a late period, each 30 minutes, was combined into a single section lasting from 11:35 to 12:20. Following this were several other adjustments – the independent break period was canceled, and extra help had the addition of 10 minutes. The shift stirred mixed feelings from both students and faculty members. So, how do people feel in this situation?
A major concern of students is the time when they get to eat lunch. A returning 11th-grade student expresses her opinion: "Last year, I had some late lunch periods, and I got really hungry during those times when I had to wait until 1 o’clock for lunch.” Even with the schedule change, she has had a similar unpleasant experience: “It is so crowded now with so many people rushing to the dining hall at the same time. It takes a lot of time to get food so I would sometimes prefer the salad bar instead.”
There is indeed an increase in the number of people using the salad bar this school year. Many probably hold the same thoughts as the student above, not wanting to spend too much time waiting in line. Yet, when the student wishes to eat hot food, there is a possible strategy many students might try: “Going to the cafeteria earlier or later if I have a free period. But oftentimes I don’t so I just have to wait in line.”
The pros and cons of the new schedule compared with last year are clear to the returning students, while new students could remark on a more general view regarding the schedule. When interviewing a new tenth-grade student, Mia Gu, who came from a Swedish school, she declared a strong opinion: “The schedule feels horrible! When I go to the dining hall after class, there are so many people in line that I usually have to wait 15 minutes. If I go back to my dorm instead, I would have nothing to do, and my friends are all in the dining hall.” Indeed, socializing is another significant part of high school life, and Gu said that “sometimes I would rather sit in the dining hall with nothing to eat rather than going back to my dorm with no friends and nothing to do.” Some students also reflected similar feedback about the convenience of meeting with friends during the shared lunch period.
When asking about whether or not students would prefer another schedule, Gu replied, “I think it would be better if students are assigned lunch periods.” To returning students, however, this would be similar to last year’s schedule and many do not express a preference for that. Thus, a great proportion of interviewees suggested a schedule which controls the flow of students into the dining hall, yet make the lunch periods close together.
In addition to the point of view of students, it is also important to look at what teachers feel about this. Many teachers played a role in proposing and finalizing the new timetable, and one would think that most have a positive opinion or largely agree with the schedule. Rosanna McCormick suggested her varying view on the lunch period. She said, “Depending on the day, I love it. I teach straight on one day and then I only have one class on the other…But on the four [class] day it's pretty difficult to get through the line.” On their long days,“it's pretty difficult … to take a break and recharge for your last two classes of the day” (Mccormick 24). True, having a day with fewer classes along with a longer lunch provides sufficient time for resting and eating. But with longer days, class periods without a break in between can cause stress.
It seems reasonable to teachers that the lunch schedule was changed because it went along with other newly installed rules. It also offered more time to relax and eat on days without full classes, which is what most people have. However, this is still the start of the school year, and some might not have fully adjusted to the change. It is still to be seen how students and teachers will feel about this schedule in the coming months, and whether further changes will be made.
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