In the increasingly warm light of spring, a dark, stuffy classroom tends to be the last place a student wants to be, posing a problem for the attendance office around this time of year. However, despite the need for us to remain inside during class, we should not be forced to stay inside during our coveted breaks. But in spite of our plant-like hunger  to catch some rays, our school lacks ample outdoor facilities, driving upperclassmen away from campus and forcing car-less students into the dreary cafeteria.

During the school’s short brunch period, students flood the quad, talking and joking while standing in the sun and on the grass. But lunch seems to have a lesser draw to the more nature-oriented parts of campus.

“It smells so bad in the cafeteria,” freshman Mari Molina said. “If we had more picnic tables, then I think kids would be happier. They should put some tables on the grass, too.”

While the school has a population of students that exceeds 1,500, a mere eight picnic tables are available, with six located near the cafeteria and two additional tables hiding adjacent to the pool deck. Additionally, a few benches are sprinkled throughout the quad, but they are constantly populated by huge numbers of students. Many can be found, instead, sitting against the wall or sadly wandering the halls of campus, looking for a lunch spot.

“I have noticed that a lot of people stand around in the quad during lunch,” history teacher Derek Miyahara said. “The school has not provided many places for the students to go, especially during lunch.”

However, would more tables create a problem for the fundamental mission of the school—education? More tables would mean more noisy, energetic students on campus, creating a chaotic atmosphere.

“I would imagine that teachers with seventh periods would be extremely bothered by the commotion that would come with additional tables,” Miyahara said. “For anyone that doesn’t have a zero or seventh period, I think that the tables would really be helpful.”

The school would benefit not only from tables but also from other outdoor facilities. Other high schools have mini-amphitheaters in their quads: sunken-in areas on which students can sit. When questioned about their preference for facility updates, students thought that umbrellas would be a good addition to the already-present tables. Students would benefit from the addition of more outside facilities to enjoy the California sunshine.