Lunchtime at Peters High School is more than just a break from classes; it’s a daily opportunity for students to connect, relax, and enjoy an anticipated meal. With three distinct lunch periods, each student navigates their own unique experience, but common themes of socializing and food preferences emerge throughout the day.
Junior Lucas Rost clearly favors Period 7 lunch.
“I like Period 7 because it makes the rest of the day feel shorter,” Rost said.
His choice isn’t just about timing, though; it’s also about comfort and familiarity. Rost brings his lunch from home every day, particularly enjoying his mom’s grilled chicken, which he describes as “delicious.” Reflecting on his early days of high school, Rost remembers finding his lunch table by following fellow junior Nolan DiLucia.
Finding a lunch table can be a daunting task for many freshmen, often leading to awkward moments and chaotic searches. While Rost navigated his early days by following a friend, Sophomore Gracie Brown, who also has Period 7 lunch, shares a more chaotic but equally memorable experience.
She remembers the adrenaline of rushing through the crowded hallways with her friend Maren Traister, desperately seeking a place to sit. Highlighting different ways students adapt to the social landscape of high school, with some finding comfort in familiarity and others thriving in the thrill of new friendships.
“ Maren and I shoved people in the hallway, and we ran and sat down. I learned my lesson from freshman year, and I was happy to have a good group of friends this year,” Brown said, “I’m very excited to be in lunch with them. It makes the day feel a lot better.”
Brown’s lunch routine involves buying a bag of barbeque chips every day, sometimes two.
“I don’t pack a lunch. I just grab some chips. It’s my favorite snack,” she said. “I don’t like cafeteria food, but the barbeque chips are my favorite. I can’t find them anywhere else.”
These varied experiences highlight the different ways students adapt to the social landscape of high school; some, like Rost, find comfort in routine and homemade meals, while others, like Brown, thrive on the simplicity of their favorite snack and the time spent with friends. Despite the occasional chaos of finding a table, lunch remains a crucial part of the school day where students can recharge, connect, and enjoy simple pleasures. Whether it’s Rost’s grilled chicken or Brown’s barbecue chips.
