There are a wide variety of lunch seating options to choose from at Camas High School (CHS). The two main spaces are the Main Commons and the North Commons, which have the most direct access to the lunch spots.
Recently, there has been an increasing number of students opting out of both spaces and instead choosing to sit either in a classroom or the library. This change could be attributed to several factors, such as the colder weather forcing students indoors or the growing overcrowding in the main lunch spaces. Regardless, this population shift is being noticed by students and staff alike, especially in the library, which has seen numbers spike since last year.
“Students needed a place where they could eat and do their homework,” Library Media Center (LMC) librarian Tonia Albert said. “The whole idea, at first, was to give them a place to study and eat at the same time so they weren’t skipping lunch … that has morphed into something different now.”
The LMC started allowing food just last year to provide students with a quiet space to study without missing a meal. However, recent crowds have left the library flooded with students occupying every seat during both lunches.
“I think it’s gotten a lot more packed,” CHS senior Aditi Manjunath said. “A lot more people are coming here.”
Despite the full occupancy, the library staff believes it has gone fairly well. “I think [allowing food in the library] is more positive since we’re also getting a wider range of students in here … it might not be dead silent, but it’s way quieter than out there,” LMC assistant Stephanie McGinty said.
Additionally, both librarians feel that students are typically respectful of the space and are willing to clean up after themselves, with only a few reminders needed every once in a while.
Outside of the library, students are also using lunch as a study hall period, opting for silent classrooms.
“I stay in my TA period every single day so I can study … I prefer a quieter environment,” CHS senior Kathy Tang said. “I don’t like how hectic it is outside, and the constant need to find a place to sit can be stressful sometimes.”
For other students, hanging out with friends during lunch is a nice way to break up the school day. These students are most likely to choose the Main Commons or the North Commons, which provide the most freedom for socializing.
“I sit in the North Commons, mostly, every day,” CHS senior Camila Sanchez said. “It’s just very open; the long tables allow me to sit with friends and talk to everyone.”
The North Commons, similar to the front seats in the student section at Doc Harris, has maintained a tradition of upperclassmen exclusivity, a tradition passed down by students themselves.
“When I was a freshman, I thought it was because of tradition, so I’ve kind of been trying to keep that going. When I was a sophomore, I didn’t sit here,” Sanchez said.
As the student population at CHS grows each year, students’ priorities may need to adjust to consider space more heavily. For now, however, where students eat lunch serves as a reflection of CHS culture and the diversity of needs within the student body, making where students sit not just a place, but a hallmark of student life.
