For many McLean students lunch is not just a break to eat, it is a thirty minute period where they can relax, socialize and take a step back from the stresses of school. Recently, new restrictions have been put in place that eats at the little freedom students are given.
Per these restrictions, students are not allowed to sit in the red hallway outside of door four. On top of that, students are not allowed to exit using the cafeteria doors leading outside.
For years, McLean students have been limited during lunch by not being able to leave campus, having limited hallway access and not being able to have food delivered. These restrictions were already frustrating enough, but taking away more freedom from students during lunch only hurts the student’s frame of mind, rather than helps.
“It’s really restricted where you could sit, and it’s difficult to have fun with your friends during lunch when you’re all crammed into one tiny space,” sophomore Evan Huan said.
These changes may seem small, but to McLean students the hallways during lunch have been a quiet place where they could disconnect and relax while eating. For many, the sectioned off areas in the hallways were the only place that they could leave the chaos of the cafeteria and courtyards.
The cafeteria fills up fast and not everybody is comfortable with eating outside, especially in the wintery months. By taking away the option of the hallway, students struggle to find any peaceful areas to enjoy their break.
“There’s barely any room for people to sit and there’s not enough chairs as well,” sophomore Sanam Dalil said. “Sometimes there is not enough room for everyone to sit so we have to sit separately.”
Having admins guard the cafeteria sends a message to students that they are being punished for wanting a little bit of breathing room. While students have their own opinions on the matter, teachers believe quite the opposite.
“It improves the trash that’s all over the school,” PE teacher Marissa Gaines said. “It’s going to improve PE classes and other classes walking through the hallway, helping them not get distracted.”
Instead of syphoning the little freedom McLean students already have, McLean should work on opening designated indoor areas such as hallways or additional rooms that students can go in to escape the noise of the cafeteria. This would help the overcrowding that happens, mainly during A lunch, while still maintaining order.
Lunch should be the one time of day where students should actually feel free, not boxed in. As the restrictions begin to pile up, what once felt like freedom is starting to fade, along with the chance to enjoy one of the few breaks we get.
“Theres less space for us to sit, and it’s not fun,” sophomore Lana Auer said. “I used to sit in the hallway every day with my friends because it was so cold and we couldn’t sit in the courtyard, but now I can’t sit anywhere.”
