Date of observation: March 3, 2017
Location: Clay High School Cafeteria
Type: Immersion
During our research day on campus, we stopped by the cafeteria during lunch hours to gather our materials and thoughts, and I noticed several trends and activities in the area. Here are some photos I took during that time:
Takeaways:
- Students would either gather in large groups among their friends or eat alone.
- There was a lot of roughhousing going on, which made me somewhat uncomfortable during the stay. I was reassured with the security patrols/ coaches walking around, but it seemed pretty rowdy even with them around.
- Almost no one was eating anything, which I thought was strange for lunch time. Most students were busy socializing, and only a few were eating small snacks. However, I don’t know how much I’d be able to focus on eating in an environment as busy as the cafeteria…
- I’ve noticed that a lot of the raucous behavior continued as students began to leave the cafeteria, and students were straggling to return to their classes.
- The environment as a whole is uninspiring and restrictive. The other half of my discomfort came with this sensations that I was locked in the space; students can’t roam about the campus freely, and to be in a specific space for a set amount of time is uncomfortable.