Raisins, wrappers, and apple rinds, a “veritable smorgasbord” on the floor. Lunchtime is supposed to be a mindful break for students to wind down and enjoy their time away from school work, but how can you do that when every time you try to sit down to eat there is a mess? Believe it or not, this is something that occurs constantly in the school cafeteria.
Many students believe they don’t need to clean up their messes after they finish eating, leaving empty milk cartons, filthy lunch trays, and crum-covered tables. The reason for that is they know someone else will eventually clean it up. This shouldn’t be the mindset of any student, let alone a high school student. Even with custodians present to keep the school tidy, it’s not their job to clean up the messes that students create and choose not to pick up.
Leaving the trash behind doesn’t only affect other students and the custodians, it also impacts the teacher left on duty.
“I think it’s disgusting, students should be responsible and not leave their mess for others to clean up. I [would] like kids to take responsibility for their actions and realize it’s a school, not a zoo,” English teacher Mrs. Dahms-Lodge commented, while on lunch duty.
While spills do happen, it doesn’t hurt to clean it up. Doing so will benefit many students and staff, whether you realize it or not. In the event of a messy situation, students should at least notify a teacher or custodian quickly. This is a simple task that high school students should be equipped to complete.
“It makes me sad that the next group of kids won’t be able to have a clean table to sit at, and since the lunch waves are so close together, we don’t have enough time to get to all the tables like we want to,” South Windsor High School custodian, Tommy said.
Students need to realize that when their peers have lunch after them, and come to a messy table, it makes them feel uncomfortable and unable to sit down and enjoy their lunch. It has gotten to the point where most students don’t even sit in the cafeteria, and choose to eat somewhere else like the career center, or a teacher’s classroom.
Students should strive to keep their lunch area clean, to promote comfort during lunchtime. Picking up after yourself is a basic action that is instilled in young children, and it should not be any different for high school students.
