Matthew Arcuri, a 2017 Reynolds graduate, built picnic tables outside of the auditorium for his Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout project when he was a student. They were clean and well-built which was a change for Reynolds students who enjoyed eating outside.

    The lunch tables by the cafeteria are less than a nice and clean eating area. Between the mud and the slanted tables sinking into the ground, sitting there does not feel clean or comfortable. Bugs crawl all over the tables and they remain damp days after a rain. Students avoiding sitting there at all costs.

    The cafeteria is not much better. It is very crowded with students which does not leave much room to breathe. It is also unfathomably loud to the point that it is nearly impossible to hear the person next to you. Most students avoid the cafeteria at all costs and will only enter when it’s raining.

    It is quite clear that RJR does not offer many comfortable eating places, so when students saw the new tables they were ecstatic. Finally, a place to eat that was exactly what students deserve, so it came as a shock to many when it was announced that sitting at the new tables for lunch was prohibited.

    Providing lunch areas for students is imperative for schools especially with a closed campus. It is counterintuitive to put up beautiful picnic tables and forbid students to sit there. Students like senior Kate Ginn express their frustration over the limited seating options.

    “I just want somewhere to eat that is clean and provides a environment that is comfortable for everyone,” Ginn said.

    If students will not be allowed to sit at the new clean tables, RJR should look into redoing the lunch tables as lunch is the one break students get during their long school day. It is only fair to give them a place to eat that is pleasant and well taken care of.