While Gene Kelly may have proclaimed his love for singing in the rain, many students would much rather prefer to stay dry and avoid the rain completely.

While the transitions from class to class are tolerable, lunch becomes a problem for underclassmen who have to huddle under arches and hallways, often time reduced to sitting on the rain-soaked pavement.

However, the cafeteria is empty, students driven away by the reeking odor yet to be identified; the hallways are packed with students with grim, wet faces, with no other choice than to sit through 40 minutes of cold misery. The fact is that the lack of indoor seating is putting students through unprecedented discomfort that could be solved through simple renovations.

At Egan Junior High School on a rainy day, the gym was open to anyone who wanted to eat lunch in a protected enclosure. Kids could stay dry while talking to their friends and enjoying their lunch. The students at Egan looked forward to rainy days for this mere reason, where students at LAHS dread the news of a sprinkle.

“I really don’t like it when it rains because I know I’m going to have to find a place to sit [at lunch],” junior Ryan Hanni said.

These negative attitudes towards the weather could be easily diminished if the gym (big or small) was opened to students during lunch. However, according to the administration, these accommodations are not possible.

“We can’t open the gym at lunch,” Assistant Principal Ralph Cave said. “I mean, food isn’t allowed in the gym anyway.”

Even though the gyms will not be seeing any soggy students soon, teachers seem plenty happy to have students in their classroom during lunch.

I’m totally fine with students coming in,” French III Teacher Heather Silverstein said. “I think because the school is all outside they need a place to stay when it rains.”

But even though teachers are obliging, the students still seem hesitant.

“It’s so awkward to go into a classroom,” sophomore Isabelle Fisher said. “I feel like I should be doing work or something.”

According to sophomore Julia Cox, one’s freedom is limited within the walls of classrooms.

“I feel like I can’t talk or act the same in a classroom; I have to be on best behaviour,” Julia said.

The only indoor space that is left is the cafeteria, but this also appears to be unpopular with the general public.

“It smells like a bad combination of food,” sophomore Laura Raley said. “It’s really unappetizing.”

The lack of protected seating for hungry students during brunch and lunch has escalated to an unnecessary point. It increases stress, which is already at a higher level due to the normal unseasonal issues of high school. However, according to freshman Jackie Mata, there is one last solution.

“At my old school, Crittenden, they had a canopy kids could eat under on rainy days,” Jackie said.

A canopy would not be very expensive, compared to the comfort it would bring to students. It sure would be nice to sit under a protective canopy on rainy days, unexposed to the ominous weather and still about to enjoy the beauty of nature that surrounds the school.