As you walk into the Staples cafeteria during lunch waves, you may notice it is packed, yet some lunch tables remain empty. Where do those students go?

Some students grab their food from the cafeteria and sit and eat with their friends in the hallways that surround it. Eating outside the cafeteria allows students to enjoy a calmer space when eating their food, especially when the busy lunch tables can make students feel surrounded.

Students eating in the halls is nothing new to Staples or other high schools. Our administration has made efforts to prohibit taking food out of the cafeteria, which were actions made in hopes of keeping our school clean and reducing trash.

However, nothing has been said or done to stop students from enjoying their food in the nearby the hallways.

Although there is no harm in doing so, these students may be adding onto the amount of cleanup left to the custodians. As long as students are cleaning up after themselves, this shouldn’t be a problem. It is when trash is being left all over where issues may occur.

I myself have eaten in this hallway with my friends and found no problem except a little discomfort of not sitting at a table. Even when I am not eating my lunch in the halls, other students prefer to and should have that ability.

Having more areas for students to eat and hangout during lunch provides them with the freedom and comfort to choose where they would like to sit outside of the cafeteria.

As long as students are respectful and throw out their trash afterwards, they should be able to sit in the hallway outside of the cafeteria.