After four hours of hard work, McCallum students are rewarded with 40 or so minutes of free time to eat and relax. But those who buy school lunches don’t get this luxury, spending half of the allotted lunch time waiting in the lines for food. Once they finally get their food they are either forced to eat it in the time remaining, in their next class or not at all. If a school lunch is normally their first meal of the day, they won’t eat until dinner.

While the issue of long lunch lines is preexisting, the overcrowding brings it to a whole new level. The lunch lines are exhausting. They’re crowded and a lot of people get pushy because they’re impatient. And although there are two separate lunch lines, both fill up equally fast and the wait time is unbearable. 

Students who do not bring a lunch from home or buy one from school are left with two options: break the rules and go off campus or be hungry. No student wants to get in trouble for leaving campus, but they are left with little choice. Only seniors are allowed to go off campus, so the rest of the student body has no solution to their hunger.

The frustrations don’t stop with just the long wait times. Once students finally reach the front of the line, their favorite options are often sold out, forcing them to settle for the second choice. The decreasing time looms over students as they try to scarf down their meals within the limited time they have. Many are left with half-eaten lunches as they rush to their next class, which can lead to unhealthy eating habits and unnecessary stress. For students who rely on these meals to fuel their day, this situation is far from ideal.

We could propose a survey to gather feedback on what students want or need during lunch. Is it long enough? Do we need multiple lunch periods? This way, the administration will see how serious the issue is. They patrol the campus, but they don’t experience it the same way students do. We need those in positions of power to understand how stressful and draining simply buying lunch here is. Some people only go through the line to get sodas or chips, but they have to wait through the whole line. We could also try adding more lines and stations throughout the school with snacks so those who are looking for a specific treat don’t add unnecessary length to the lunch lines.

If we had more lines, we could offer positions to students who would want to help with food preparation or service. A proactive approach could highlight the problem and engage students in the decision-making process, fostering a sense of community and cooperation. We share common frustrations with the system and as a student body, we have the power to create and propose solutions for problems like this. 

Walking through the hallway during lunch, it’s hard to miss the commotion around the cafeteria. People know that if you don’t get to the line early you won’t get your food. School lunch should be a time for nourishment and relaxation, not a race against the clock. McCallum can do better to accommodate its students’ needs. After all, a well-fed student is more focused and engaged.