Every day, students walk into the cafeteria and are immediately immersed in a whole new atmosphere. The noise is deafening, drowning out people’s conversations, while various food items are scattered around tables and are thrown over people’s heads, sometimes even hitting them. Many students have no regard for the people who have to clean up after them and for the other students who have to sit amidst piles of garbage. There needs to be some change to the matter of cafeteria messes. 

Many students agree that the cafeteria messes are getting out of hand. 

“It makes me feel grossed out because people aren’t cleaning up after themselves. The janitors are cleaning up after people when [students] should be,” junior ZZ Elmeligi said. 

It is no debate that cafeteria messes are an issue due to potential hazards they pose, such as food allergies or accidents. Someone with a food allergy could be exposed to that allergen left carelessly behind by another student. Additionally, someone could easily slip and fall on drinks spilled on the floor. These messes are not exactly helping with the COVID-19 pandemic, or just flu season in general. Garbage left on tables could pass germs on to other students, causing them to get sick, which could be prevented if students just pick up after themselves. 

“You’re putting someone else’s life at risk because of your own mistake, and that’s messed up,” junior Samiyah Shepherd said. 

Leaving trash on lunch tables can negatively affect a lot of people, so students need to start being proactive about cleaning up after themselves. 

“I think people should clean up after themselves; it’s just basic manners. Kids throw things all over the floor and they don’t ever have to take responsibility for it,” junior Carly Navas said. 

There should definitely be consequences for people who purposely create cafeteria messes and do not pick them up, and students agree that they should become more serious in order for people to take full responsibility for their actions. 

“I would say getting detentions, to have students start taking accountability for their actions,” Navas said. 

As the school year comes to a close, students should be trying to clean up their garbage to preserve this school and to protect the students within it.