Sophomores vs. Juniors : Where do they Eat?

Victoria Parent

The two middle grades – in many ways the same, yet different as well. One example that shows both the overlap and disparity between the classes of 2023 and 2024 are the locations in which they generally eat lunch, which are based on a large sample size of each grade, the sophomores with 89 participants and the juniors with 103.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of both sophomores and juniors eat in the cafeteria. However, while 81% of surveyed juniors eat here, only 60% of sophomores do too. Juniors who choose not to typically eat in the cafeteria tend to pick the outdoors, but unlike the sophomore participants who don’t usually eat inside the school building, many juniors elect for more uncommon places outside, such as the football field, the sidewalk near senior patio or senior patio itself. Even so, for both grades the main tent is a viable option, as a small number from each class elect to eat there most days.

The fact that best shows the discrepancy between the sophomores and juniors in where they choose to eat is this: the gymnasium has been claimed as sophomore territory. Only 1 student of the 103 juniors surveyed stated that they eat in the gym most days. Meanwhile, 20 of the 89 sophomores who responded say they find themselves in the gym most often, which is over 22% of the sophomores surveyed. If the sophomores who typically eat in the cafeteria are taken out of consideration, 56% of the remaining surveyed sophomores opt for the gym!

Something as simple as the location of where a sophomore or junior eats their lunch could reveal overall tendencies of each grade. What could your preferred location say about you and the people you’re affiliated with?