Maybe it’s different for other Staples High School students, but it definitely doesn’t take me thirty minutes to eat lunch. I think that most people would agree that only a small portion of lunch is actually taken up by eating.

Don’t get me wrong, the school lunch break is practically the highlight of my day, but it’s mostly used to socialize, wait in line, decide what food to get, and let my mind relax – all things that could be omitted if necessary.

So, why do people talk about lab lunch as if it’s the death of them? If once a week students don’t get their desired amount of time to socialize and consume their food, I think they will survive.

For anyone who doesn’t know, lab lunch is when a student has his or her science class during the lunch period and is only allowed fifteen minutes for lunch. The lost fifteen minutes (since lunch is usually thirty minutes) are used to do a lab during the extended science class.

Ask almost any person what lunch they have, and if their answer includes the words “lab lunch,” it is sure to be followed by a loud groan and dramatic sigh.

It’s even likely that then the person will then go on a rant about how mad they are that they have lab lunch and begin unloading their frustrations onto you. You’ll wish you never asked.

It’s safe to say that almost every Staples student has been in this situation before, either as the complainer or the asker. Honestly, I don’t get what the big deal is.

When I finish my food during lunch, I look at the clock and think, “I still have almost half of the lunch period left!?” It’s not rare for my friends and I to roam around the school and just hang out for the rest of lunch, or sit by a table and talk.

I know that a lot of people also finish their lunch way before the period is over because between fifteen and ten minutes left of lunch, the cafeteria practically clears out as if there is an evacuation. The clearing can’t all be people going to lab lunch because math classes also had first lunch in Sept. and Oct., and now in Nov., world languages have first lunch, too.

So I’ve generated a theory:

When students are forced to do something, the situation immediately becomes negative. Even if a student finishes his or her lunch in time to go to a hypothetical lab lunch, it’s the fact that he or she isn’t being forced to cut his or her lunch short that makes it all the better.

I agree, having a full lunch is definitely better than having only half the time. Yes, it’s annoying to have to leave your friends and have an extra fifteen minutes of class.

Next time you realize that you have lab lunch, spare the peer that you are talking to and realize that you will get your desired thirty minutes the next day. I promise, it will all be okay.

Please note: if you have multiple lab lunches, then I do apologize for wasting your time.