Caroline Potter

Students struggle to find enough time to eat and enjoy their lunch break at BSM.

As students rush through their busy days of classes, homework, and long-awaited extracurricular activities, one part of the school day that stands out as a crucial time for rest and nourishment is lunch. Benilde-St. Margaret’s current 25-minute lunch is simply not enough time to provide students with the proper time to eat, relax, and socialize, all of which contribute to their overall well-being and academic success.

The current 25-minute lunch period barely gives students enough time to get through the incredibly long Taher lunch line, find a seat, and eat a meal, all while balancing the pressure of making it back to class in time. After waiting in long lines and rushing to sit down, students are often left without sufficient time to enjoy their food, which can lead to indigestion, overeating, or, in some cases, skipping lunch entirely due to time constraints. Nonetheless, eating lunch isn’t just about the food–it’s about recharging for the second half of the day. Students need time to relax, chat with friends, and decompress before heading back to their classes.

As it stands, BSM has a 20-minute homeroom period, a time that feels unnecessary and unproductive. While homeroom can be useful for morning announcements or brief conversations with teachers, it often lacks the engagement or importance to justify taking away from lunchtime. Instead of keeping homeroom as a separate period, merging it with the lunch break could give students the opportunity to have a more substantial break. By combining the 20 minutes of homeroom with the 25-minute lunch period, students would gain an additional 20 minutes of use for eating and relaxation. This new schedule would result in a 45-minute lunch break, with an ample amount of time that is much more reasonable, especially when you consider that students are expected to remain attentive and productive for the entire remainder of the school day. Additionally, students could have the option to leave campus, grab lunch with friends, and then come back in time for class. A significant break in the middle of the day could improve students’ ability to stay focused during the rest of their classes.

This longer lunch break could have wide-ranging benefits for students. Providing students with enough time to eat and socialize can improve their well-being. A 45-minute lunch break would give students the necessary time to eat more balanced meals, which can contribute to improved energy levels, better concentration, and enhanced learning outcomes throughout the day. Socializing during lunch is another key benefit. Many students look forward to lunch as a time to connect with friends, talk about what’s on their minds, and catch up. With a longer lunch period, students would have the chance to engage in deeper conversations and develop stronger social bonds, which are crucial for students’ well-being and for building a strong school community.