This year One Lunch returned to students and staff after a two-year absence. This year’s senior class is the only group of students in school who have ever experienced it before. Most enjoy the extended lunch and study time; however, some students are still finding it to be an adjustment. 

   With nearly 1,900 students, finding a place to sit and eat lunch can be tricky. Eating in a teacher’s room is an option as some teachers allow that, but office hours, club meetings hosted by teachers, and other teacher lunch duties and meetings can interfere with that. 

   Despite the difficulty in finding a space to eat, most students take advantage of their hour-long lunch. Club meetings are better attended and students have more time to do homework between classes. Many students use the extended time to multi-task.

   “I really like One Lunch and getting it back. It feels different from my freshman year. It gives me enough time to eat and talk to my friends and do homework. I can meet with teachers, do make-up work, and go to clubs,” senior Ashley Wendt said.

   Wendt does not find the larger population of students to be an issue.

   “The school is pretty big and people spread out,” Wendt said.

   For other students, it’s about appreciating the time they have to take a break from academic demands.  

   “I really enjoy One Lunch. It gives me an opportunity to hang out with my friends that aren’t in my classes. Things are very busy senior year, so it provides a necessary break,” senior Madisyn Feliciano said. “Overcrowding isn’t an issue for me personally; the hallways can get crowded but it is manageable. The only thing that can be an issue is the lunch lines.”

   Wendt does acknowledge that downtime can lead to poor choices among some students. 

   “The only disadvantages are the threat of getting it taken away and the poor behavior of some students,” Wendt said.

     In previous years, One Lunch was threatened to be taken away due to improper behavior of students and increased trash in the hallways and other common areas, so students will need to work together to maintain the privilege. Most of the Wildcat community is hopeful that it’s here to stay, as One Lunch has been described as “an important part of the positive culture at Deep Run” by Principal Dr. Brian Fellows.