Lunch and window time play an important role in how students feel and perform during the school day. Several members of the school community shared how these breaks impact focus, stress, and overall balance.

Camilo Hoyos emphasized that breaks are necessary for students to stay productive. “If you’re hungry or tired because you didn’t have that rest, then your performance is going to decrease,” he said. He explained that students cannot stay focused for long periods without time to recharge. “It’s definitely necessary because nobody can focus the whole entire time without a break or food,” Hoyos added. He believes it is important for students to pause during the day, saying, “It is important for students to have that rest in the middle of the day, like a brain break.”

Students also described how lunch and window time affect both academics and social well-being. Susana Palacio shared that these breaks help students reset mentally. “I think lunch and window breaks are extremely essential to help us focus in class. We need these breaks to let our minds off things and also focus on the social part of school,” she said. As a senior, she noted that breaks become even more important with a heavy workload. “As seniors, these breaks are extremely important because we are focused on many other things. The workload is very heavy, and a lot of us are managing college applications, big tests, and maybe a lot of AP classes,” Palacio explained. She added that having breaks during the day helps reduce stress and create balance.

Palacio also shared a personal experience that shows the impact of missing lunch time. “One day, I had a lot of tests and I didn’t really have time to properly eat lunch. This affected me because I felt really exhausted and distracted for the rest of the day, and it was very hard to concentrate,” she said.

Annika Pettersson also highlighted the mental and social benefits of these breaks. “I think lunch and window help me a lot to talk with my friends about my day, think about something that is not school, and have balance. It helps me have a clear mind before going to class again,” she said. Pettersson explained that when lunch is interrupted by exams or stress, it becomes harder to focus afterward. “When I have an exam during lunch or have class right after, the classes tend to feel much longer, and my mind is not as focused as it should be,” she said. However, she noted that eating properly and spending time with friends helps her return to class ready to learn.

Pettersson also reflected on what might happen if these breaks were shortened or removed. “I think it would affect students a lot because it would make them less concentrated in class,” she said. She added that students might not be able to give their full effort during the day.

Together, these perspectives show that lunch and window time are more than just free moments in the schedule. For both teachers and students, they provide necessary time to eat, reset, manage stress, and return to class with stronger focus and energy.