Cut at the line cutting
February 24, 2016
Ever since my freshman year, being pushed around in the crowded hallways or struggling to get to class wasn’t a big problem for me. Being stuck in a never-ending lunch line in the sizzling sun however, has enraged me beyond measures.
As soon as I stand in line to buy lunch, I glance around nervously hoping that line cutters aren’t nearby. However, no matter how close I stand behind someone in line, students always manage to barge in right in front of me, totally ignoring my presence. Many times, when they come in with groups of three to four, I have to get pushed back without a fight. Having to deal with these oblivious students for two years now is enough.
Out of all the lunch lines, the grill is the worst when it comes to students cutting. The 15-foot line that I once stood in grows longer as students scramble toward the front of the line. A large group of students would look around, make sure the lunch lady wasn’t paying attention, and then sneak in from under the belt. For every person who snuck in, I would be placed a step further from buying lunch. Sometimes, when I’m cut by more than 10 people, I give up completely and instead grab a snack from the student store.
It may seem easy to just speak up and tell the lunch ladies about those who cut in line. However, due to the large amount of students that participate in this sinful act, it’s hard to say anything. Telling an adult in front of other students’ faces would create enemies, something you probably want to avoid during high school.
Although the line for the burger grill is the worst, the regular lunch lines are still unorganized. Students can’t stand in a straight line, and instead stand in groups, which makes it hard to tell who is cutting or not. These students often act as if they were greeting a friend, when in reality they are moving in without being noticed. The thought of struggling to get lunch in the hot sun has given me enough nightmares that I now choose to pack lunch. I can’t stand how students try to act as if they have morals in class, and then as soon as the bell rings, they show how truly devilish they are.
Standing in line for double the amount of time due to sneaky students is unfair for those who actually wait. Allowing large groups of kids to barge in shouldn’t be tolerated. In order to prevent this, I believe that having one or two attentive lunch ladies managing lines could help solve the problem. Because most of the lunch ladies are busy preparing food, many are not able to notice those who cut in line. In addition, placing white lines on the pavement would help organize the students into certain lines so it would be easier to notice those who cut in. These simple changes would bring a measure of justice to those who’ve sacrificed their time as the line cutters jump ahead.
