The 12:35 lunch bell rings, and students pour into Sage, filling the cafeteria almost instantly. All four grades shove into one place, creating clumps that they call “lines.” Everyone rushes to get their food, students squeezing past one another, attempting to get closer to the front. But within 15–20 minutes, what was once a hectic, packed cafeteria slowly empties, leaving behind only a handful of occupied tables with students some refer to as “lunch dwellers.”

     The Upper School provides students with what some consider a lot of freedom. They can leave Sage whenever their heart desires. This freedom makes it so seeing lunch dwellers in their natural habitat—the cafeteria—may be a rare sight. 

     At many high schools, lunch is a period where the cafeteria stays almost completely filled from start to finish. However, at Shorecrest, most students choose to spend their remaining time somewhere else, whether it is in hallways, outdoor areas or other campus spaces, leaving the once jam-packed lunchroom a quiet and nearly empty space.

     Part of this could be due to the school’s rigorous academic environment. With heavy workloads and busy schedules, many students take the opportunity and utilize this extra time to either complete homework, study or just meet with friends in a quieter place. 

     And also, for many, lunch is less about eating and more about socializing.

     “A lot of people do not consume the sheer quantity of food,” said junior Ryan Flugel, a student who has continuously stayed for the entire lunch period since his freshman year.

     For Flugel, staying the whole period has always been intentional.

     “It’s a conscious choice because I’m eating food full-time,” he said.

     As a swimmer, Flugel needs to eat a lot to keep up with the physical demands of practice.

     “Swimming burns a lot of calories, so I’ll get really hungry and dizzy [at] practice if I don’t eat now,” he said. “The second [reason] is, I just really like food.”

     Because of this, Flugel actually prefers the end of lunch. As the cafeteria empties and the lines disappear, it becomes easier to get more food.

     Senior Shanya Watson, who also tends to remain at Sage for the majority of the period, said the quieter atmosphere is why she chooses to remain.

     “Once it clears out, it’s a lot more relaxed,” she said. “It’s not as chaotic, and you can actually sit and talk.” 

     Although most students leave long before the bell rings, a small group chooses to stay behind and savor the final minutes of lunch. Whether it is to finish a meal, talk to friends or just to enjoy the quieter atmosphere, these “lunch dwellers” get to experience a completely different part of the school day.