24 | SLAS TIMES
Wildcats Prefer Staying in Their Classrooms During Lunch by Angela Chen
As of quarter four , secondary students are allowed to go outside for the last fifteen minutes of lunch . Previously , pandemic regulations required all students to stay inside their wildcat classrooms for the entirety of lunch .
Despite this newly gained freedom , most prefer staying in their classrooms during lunch to play video games or watch videos on their devices .
Before the pandemic , students , especially boys , used to go outdoors and play sports , such as soccer , basketball , and volleyball . Most girls tended to stay inside the school building to eat outside their block three classrooms , or hang out on the black sofas . There were absolutely no limits about having to be with students from your wildcat .
According to Principal Jamal Hill , the procedures were newly implemented on Monday , April 12th , 2021 .
Students are now allowed to go outside after 12:15 p . m . They could choose to come back to the class again , but they would not be permitted to leave the class a second time . Students who go out are only allowed to go to the stage or track . If they have to use the bathroom , they would have to either get a pass from their Wildcat teachers or use the first-floor bathrooms .
In the author ’ s Wildcat class , all students stay inside after lunch . In Mr . van West ’ s 6th-grade Wildcat class , around 10 % of the students prefer going outside .
6th-grade student Poonam Sahoo said that going outside lets her hang out with her friends , get fresh air , and stretch . She says that she goes out every day to clear her mind after long classes .
8th-grader Myles Jacob Jin said , “ There ’ s not much to do outside [ because ] we don ’ t have much time .”
9th-grader Jade Seo said that it was not fun going outside , and there are not many things to do . She does not enjoy going out , and she would not go out by choice .