The Three Bells of Lunch

By Taam Solen

Three commandeering bells dictate when students may eat, six, counting the bells between. Each student is assigned to a bell, and when they toll, the student’s allowed to go to the ever so magical cafeteria.

While it’s intended for eating, its purpose far extends that. The cafeteria is a wondrous place where one can go to rest, work, or eat. The first bell always filled me with envy, as I didn’t have first lunch on either day. The second bell made me wistful, as it served as a break for history, and a hopeful reminder in journalism. The last bell let me feel relief, as it reminded me the day was coming to a close and I’d be home soon. 

The best thing about the cafeteria, though, were the people within.

Mindless chatter arose from the groups that clumped together, carefree laughter erupting in anachronistic intervals, cacophonies of immature jokes and pandemoniums of snarky retorts. There never was a dull moment in the cafeteria.

And when all ended with the last toll, it would fade to silence, waiting to be disrupted once more.

Slice of Happiness

By Alice Cheng

When you enter the cafeteria, you are greeted with a wave of calm silence. Occasional murmurs from the staff in the kitchen as they talk in low, hushed voices. Keyboard tapping sounds from the booth.

A shout of laughter breaks through the silence, followed by a chorus of giggles. It brings your attention to the back of the cafeteria, a group of students are all clustered into one booth. They sit comfortably, occasionally nudging each other, all of them clearly having fun. Just as suddenly, they slide out of the booth and gather their stuff, swinging their backpacks over their shoulders. They walk quickly, instinctually forming groups of 2 and 3 to talk along the way.

As they leave they all have smiles on their faces, even separated and seated in their own classrooms the smile remains. This small moment of happiness had a big impact on the students. That fleeting second of laughter and joy with their friends improved their whole day. 

Cafeteria Vibes

By Xabi Arispe and Brandon Navia

The cafeteria is a vibrant place, making new energy from countless conversations and interactions. The rhythmic clatter of trays, the hum of chatter, and the occasional bursts of laughter create a lively atmosphere around the Commons.

 Most of these lunches brighten my day and help me to keep working hard on my studies. My top three favorite school lunches are pizza, fried rice with orange chicken, and quesadillas: possibly the best food they serve during lunchtime. However,  If I had to choose some new lunches, they would be ramen and sushi.  I at least wish they would bring in food from the nearby restaurants occasionally.

We interviewed Adam Lakbail and he responded that he enjoys lunch and takes his time to catch up on  work, play on his phone and enjoy the free time. “I say that it’s very calm and relaxing as I come back from math class. It feels good to have a break mid class and just talk and play games with my friends” He said he would usually sit on the side of the commons underneath the staircase. 

When asked if he could change the menu in any way, what would you suggest? Lakbail responded, “Allow some type of sweet to the school menu” .

High school cafeterias are significantly different from those in elementary and middle schools. There is more freedom in choosing where to sit, and the variety of food options is greater, reflecting a step towards adulthood and broader horizons. 

Another thing we see during lunch is people hanging out, getting in trouble by going off campus.  People get food from other restaurants nearby, probably getting a tasty lunch for themselves as they try to play it off as if they aren’t trying to sneak out. 

What my point is that the cafeteria isn’t just a vibe. I think that it is also a place in school where we can manage our time when eating lunch and enjoy our time with friends and finishing any assignments by incorporating your dedicated time into lunchtime. 

From what I see as I eat with my friends making memory, after memory, after memory. From the saying, “It’s like my title with my friends,” a group of not smart guys, “Infinite memories.” We make memories sitting down laughing ourselves for doing something or getting in trouble in the Commons. We also eat lunch with teachers, get help in our classes or, and we take retests. We would also play games to distract ourselves from stress. In the end, we all enjoy this time during 4th period.