As students returned from spring break, they were met with a special treat: the opening of our brand new cafeteria. Before letting us free in the fresh facilities, high school students were brought in to tour the space. After rushing the entrance and squeezing ourselves into seats, we were instructed on the workings of this tour de force. Once reaching the front of the line, students are to choose right or left depending on their appetite for the day. Right gives hot sandwiches, left grants salad bar and cold sandwiches. Both sides host hot lunch. Foolproof? I think not.

I spoke to WTs finest on their thoughts:

“Takes forever, not quite clear what line you are supposed to be in.”-Noah Finke ’29

“So much worse, only been there twice, but it seems like a ton of money for a line that goes slower than before. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. “-Nico Gonzalez-Rychener ’27

“Was bad on the first day, but since then it has been better.”-Maya Finke ’27

“Let it burn”-anonymous (in response to the recent mishap involving burnt grilled cheeses and a pulled fire alarm)

Tensions reach beyond students who buy lunch. Those who bring lunch face their own set of challenges. As a member of this group, I originally chose to exlcude myself from buying due to the lines that plagued the lunch hour. My life had been smooth, my lunches leisurely. No longer is this the case. Entering the cafeteria, I am now forced to push and shove my way through the congested hallway of buyers waiting in line before being spit out into the lunch room. Once inside the lunch room, I must navigate a maze of tightly packed tables, inevitably tripping over some skewed bench. Finally reaching my seat, I am immediately pulled back out to sea this time in pursuit of the microwave. Taking the perimeter path around the room just to be hit by the door out to the parking lot, I find my appetite to be lost.

Maybe my classmates and I are being dramatic in describing these downfalls. The space itself does host some improvement. One of the most noted positive additions is the Bevi. A flavored-water oasis, it has drawn students to its riches since day one. Junior Matilda Yang is a self-proclaimed expert on the Bevi’s workings and stated, “It’s not juice, it’s not water, it’s something in between. This is the best investment WT has made since the e-sports room in the middle school.”

So overall, maybe the new cafeteria isn’t so bad. We must remember there is still work to be done. That wall displaying AI ads of WT students will also come down, leaving more space for us all to breathe. Till then, let’s eat!

~Your Iphone Faced Silence Dogood