Soda & Shawarma by the Shore

En Min Saw

The PSAT, probably the most dreaded acronym (after SAT) for high school students, took place on the Wednesday of October 10^th. Juniors and sophomores were required to take the test, but they were dismissed as soon as it ended. As for the fellow freshmen and seniors, since they weren’t in the PSAT examination, it was still a typical day of school.

To elevate the sunken mood of being stuck in school, the Senior EXCOM decided to organize a picnic lunch for the class at the grassy area by the ocean. When the bell rang at 12:15 p.m., seniors swarmed out of classrooms toward the picnic spot, chattering away nonchalantly. The high sunlit clouds drifted across the blue sky; the seniors laid out their picnic blankets and gathered under the shade.

Everyone was ready to replenish their growling stomachs. Half-patiently waiting for lunch to arrive, they munched on the chips and chatted about how their week was going. To kill time, Seong-Min Kim (12) picked up a soccer ball and started showing off his juggling skills. Intrigued, Uncle Scott, Nathan Chand (12), and Jeremy Worten (12) couldn’t resist joining in.

A few moments later, a middle-eastern man, carrying four large plastic bags of food, arrived and received a warm welcome from the hungry seniors. They then lined up to collect their lunch, including a Shawarma chicken wrap, coleslaw, and fries. As a supportive gesture to the Junior Class Store, the senior class purchased a can of soda for every senior from them. Light-hearted conversations filled the atmosphere as seniors indulged in the luscious wrap and sipped on their refreshing drinks.

It was then time for a corn-hole faceoff between Trevor Ronning (12), Mikaela Steinkamp (12), Albert Jeong (12), and Ruben Nyul (12). A few others circled to enjoy the banter of both the physical and verbal aspect of the game. Although Mikaela and Albert attempted their best, they were still no match for Trevor and Ruben, who were exceptional at distracting their opponents.

The picnic lunch was short but sweet. As the end-of-lunch bell rang, seniors swiftly tidied up their mess, leaving the area spotless before heading to class.

"Despite the short time duration, it was a nice change from the norm for the entire senior class to have lunch together, appreciating each other's company. It was even better with Mr. Shawarma's chicken wraps!" Class President Nicholas Khor (12) expressed.