Who are your lunch buddies at school? Most students have a group of friends they sit with at lunch, but why do they sit with those people? Do they just not want to be alone? Perhaps they’re best friends? Or did they just meet and this is the beginning of a great friendship?

Everybody has their reasons. Sometimes students sit with different groups everyday or even alone. But I’ve noticed most people here at FCHS sit in groups, some bigger than others, but always with their lunch buddies. So the real question is what really causes us to make the choice of where to sit, day in and day out.

It truly depends on the person; sometimes people sit alone because they enjoy the alone time on their phone, or maybe they’re really shy. However, others enjoy being in a group setting. According to what you often hear in Biology or Sociology class, being lonely isn’t good for your health. That doesn’t mean being an introvert is terrible and unhealthy, but we are wired to crave company.

”I sit with my friends at lunch because it’s the only time we really get to talk and do anything. People might just find lunch as their phone time to get away from the chaos and noise from people,” said freshman Briahna Moneymaker.

A common opinion among young people is that sitting alone during lunch is “embarrassing” and “weird.” In fact, sitting by yourself has its pros, such as providing extra study time while eating, listening to music, and having time to yourself. Being alone can have its positives, but too much can be detrimental to your mental health. Plus, you could be missing out on getting to know different people, while dealing with the same exact people everyday can lead to more conflict.

Even sitting with the same people everyday has its cons such as arguments can occur causing the end of some friendships. Some lunch pet peeves are when the table next to yours is too close or loud and when someone steals “your” seat. That has happened to me and my friends before, and it’s very frustrating because we felt awkward walking around trying to find another table.

Some FCHS students have some input about having lunch buddies. “I think people sit by themselves because they do not know anyone. I sit in a group because I love my friends,” said sophomore Rachael McGraw.

Sophomore Zaire Wright agrees. ”I think people sit alone at lunch because they like the alone time. I sit in a group because I love my friends. It’s better for me to be with my friends,” he said.

Whether you have lunch buddies or not, it’s up to you to enjoy your lunch how you sit fit. However, if you’d like your days of sitting alone at lunch to come to an end, consider these tips from the website WikiHow:

• Try not to look super nervous.
• If you see other people looking for somewhere to sit, ask them to sit with you.
• Look around the cafeteria. Does someone look friendly? Be brave and go up and ask if you can join them.

Who knows? Your new lunch buddy might be just a seat away.