Since the beginning of this year, there has been an increase in tardy students for third-period classes after lunch. To be honest, I am one of those students because I go off campus for lunch quite frequently. Many teachers have mixed emotions about students going off-campus for lunch. Yet, going off base provides students with a wide range of food options.

One of the options close to Air Academy High School is Burger King. However, it has been shut down for some time, causing a disturbance in some students’ first food choices. Despite this disturbance, there are countless off-campus options that students can choose from. As students go off base in search of other food possibilities, they stumble upon restaurants such as Chick-fil-a, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Chipotle. 

Students prefer going off base because they enjoy the meals more than what the school cafeteria has to offer.

“I go off base because it’s better than school food,” junior Sam Lee responded.

That seems to be a popular sentiment shared by many students, including myself.

“There are a lot more choices,” sophomore Kimmy Lenn stated.

In addition to this, going off base helps students take a break from school to release stress. This, with the time it takes to drive causes many students to be late for their third period.

“It’s hard to go off base and come back in 40 minutes,” senior Oceana O’Lonergan noted.

I understand her reasoning since I go off base frequently and when I do I am often late to my 3rd-period class. 

“If you can’t be responsible you shouldn’t go off-campus,” AAHS counselor Lynda Powell exclaimed.

Unfortunately, some teachers feel very upset about the late arrival of students. Teachers feel that it is the responsibility of the student to be on time for class. Having said this, multiple teachers agree with Powell’s statement.  

From my perspective, the time constraint might have different outcomes depending on where students go or how they time it. For instance, students who tend to go to Burger King or the base shoppette end up coming on time to classes, but those who choose to go off base for their lunch will not have as much time to eat or even enough time to get to class. As a student, it can be stressful to get to class on time while having to pick up lunch off-campus. 

Consequently, too many tardies can lead to lunch detention, which is not fun from what I have heard from other students. Also, I do not think anyone wants to have that talk with their parents, especially me. I believe it is important to leave at a reasonable time to get to class to avoid complications with teachers or administrative directors. 

All in all, going off-campus is a privilege and an opportunity that students should deal with responsibly. If the timing is right or if the school has an extended lunch period, I would advise all students to make sure there is enough time to get to class. From this, students can avoid tardies and potentially upsetting teachers. I believe that is something all students, including myself, should strive to work on in the future.