The Hungry Race: A Privilege or a Toil?

Gloria Kim

            Sitting in a chair and listening to a teacher talk surely doesn’t sound like a hard task, but students will agree that something about it drains their energy. By the time the clock strikes 12:00 PM, the students’ biological clocks also strike the hungry hour, and the race down to the cafeteria begins. But the seniors—supposedly the most mature of the bunch—have a whole other race: a trip beyond the gates of the school.

            Seniors have the sweet privilege of going to any restaurant of their choice during the lunch block. But is it really all that 'sweet'? Bound by the time limit of forty-five minutes, they have to take less than ten minutes to walk to the nearest food stalls, order their choice of food, stuff it down, walk back to the school in less than ten minutes, and retrieve their ID cards from Bernie before she rings that ominous tardy bell. Because of this breakneck schedule, food options are limited to Hillside chicken rice or nasi lemak, Gusto Café, or Sri Ananda Bahwan (a.k.a. SAB).

            If a senior friend has been diligent enough to earn a driving license, there’s the hope of a broader range of restaurants, from Thai food in Lucky 99 to Subway in Straits Quay. This is a greater risk, however, considering the extra time needed for parking and travelling. And then there’s the chance of having five people already standing in line in at Subway and, thus, not getting a sandwich until 12:20, which means cramming it into your mouth and grinding it down with the ketchup and the olive oil blend running down the side of your mouth. Or worse, you might have to bring it back to school and wait until your next study hall to eat it.

            Again, is the senior privilege really a “privilege” then? Certainly it is. Seniors dine on fresh and diverse local food daily and escape the boring in-campus routine. Dashing back to school with nervous footsteps makes these students feel more senior-like than ever. It is more than a privilege; it is a memory.

            “I think it is definitely worth the time and effort to go eat outside especially with your close friends, because this is the last year that we will be able to hang out together. Our lunch block is a pretty good time to hang out because travelling to the food stalls and eating together definitely creates enjoyable memories,” said Angela Tan (12).

            “I am looking forward to the senior privilege since school food really doesn’t make me happy. I think it is a good benefit for the seniors, but it is not fair for the rest of high school,” said John Choi (10).

            Every day, the Hungry Race ends at 12:45 PM, and its contestants are back in their seats behind the desks, as if they had never left them. With their full tummies, they hold on for another three hours until the last bell marks the end of the day.