After many years of waiting, open lunch has finally become available to Seniors at Shawnee Mission West. Today was its first day, and I, among many others, got to enjoy the freedom of eating elsewhere. Although I immediately decided to go to Jimmy Johns, many others struggled with their decision. The closest options are Mr. Goodcents, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and, of course, Jimmy Johns. Many hold the opinion that any of these options are superior to what they might receive at school.

Even though open lunch is a clearly positive thing, it does have its negative sides. The most prominent one is the issue of time. I went as fast as I possibly could, but still I barely got back to class on time. Justin Fetzer, Senior, has a possible solution to this problem. He says, “The doors we have to exit out of are a greater distance from the [senior lot] than doors next to the gym. I feel if the administrators allow us to leave through that doorway, it would cut down on tardies.”

If you are a senior and do not have the sticker that lets you leave for lunch, there’s still something you can do. First, you need the open lunch form that can be picked up in the main office. Both you and a parent need to sign this. Here comes the tricky part: a parent needs to be the one to turn in the form. It’s a necessary hassle to cut down on forgeries. After this, all you need to do is wait for the SRO to contact you and get you the required sticker.

I, and the rest of the seniors, have been waiting for this privilege for many years, so today is a victorious one. But please, fellow students, enjoy it, but don’t abuse it!