If you’re tired of the usual cafeteria routine during your free or lunch period, the school courtyard might be a great option for you. Offering a variety of interactive games, it’s the perfect place to get active, have some fun, and socialize with friends while taking a break from sitting indoors.

“The social dynamic of the courtyard allows more chances of socialization,” freshman Coco Chow stated. “Maybe someone sees you’re playing badminton and they ask to join you. There are more social opportunities present there. However, in the cafeteria, a lot of people are just bored and will look at their phones. They seem quite disengaged.”

The cafeteria is a relaxed space where some students talk with friends while others sit on their phones. It’s an easy spot to hang out, but it can be uninteresting and doesn’t have the same excitement as being outside. 

“The cafeteria is nice and all, it’s just after a while it gets boring and there is nothing to do,” freshman Ke Cui said. “So this is a great way to have something to do during lunch where you can be social and enjoy yourself.”

While some students appreciate the cafeteria as a social space, many express a desire for more engaging and active options during lunch. The opportunity to be outdoors and play sports offers a much-needed break from their indoor routine and packed school schedules.

“Many kids have at least one favorite sport,” Chow said. “I know although it may not seem like it, kids actually like playing outside. Most of us lack the time or resources to play them in our free time, which we barely seem to have since people end at 4PM. I would love to enjoy the weather more, and I bet my friends want to play badminton since we actually find it enjoyable. We can just never find the right time to do so after school. By opening the courtyard, we can use one of our free periods to enjoy the fresh air outside, staying active, and playing sports we actually enjoy.”

Chow pointed out that “kids actually like playing outside,” especially when they don’t have time after school — something the courtyard could help with. Freshman Cabio Jiang added that having that space gives “a free range of opportunities,” mainly when it comes to spending time with friends.

“The courtyard allows a free range of opportunities and you can pick what you want to play with others,” Jiang stated. “This is something that is very enjoyable for me and my friends and I love the variety of choices to choose from.”

Despite the positive aspects of this opportunity, one downside is the fact that you are not allowed to re-enter the building once you leave to go outside. Some students are frustrated with this rule and would rather it be different as well.

“Sometimes I get hungry after I play or before I play,” Jiang added. “It affects my time outside when I have to choose if I want to eat first or play first, which can be very frustrating.”

Another element that could be improved in the courtyard games is the range of options offered. Chow mentioned that she would love to see more well-known games included, as these might improve the space in many ways.

“I wish that basketball or volleyball were one of the options for the courtyard games,” Chow stated. “Those are my favorite sports but I wish playing them here was easier. Those are the sports a lot of people are familiar with, including me. They could probably borrow supplies from the gymnasium to make this happen.”

Expanding the range of activities in the courtyard can help attract more students and make better use of the space. Including popular sports would likely draw more people in and keep things exciting.

“I really wish there was volleyball and tennis, because I think they would bring something new and exciting to the courtyard,” Jiang stated. “They’re both super fun, and I feel like a lot of people would actually want to play. It’d just make things more interesting and keep it from getting boring or repetitive.”

We also asked students for their thoughts on the phone ban in the courtyard. The responses we received were consistent, with many expressing similar views of disagreement with the rule.

“I think they [phones] should be allowed outside,” Chow said. “We go outside in the courtyards during our free period, and people will still use phones even if you don’t allow them, so the rule is kind of useless. I would love to take pictures or record the scenery or of a good badminton game between me and my friends.”

Having genuine fun while being active is very important, and having the option to do so during the school day is an enjoyable privilege that we have.

“I think it’s a great way to stay active during lunch because there are so many different ways to do so,” Cui stated. “There’s a lot to choose from depending on what you like or feel like doing that day.”

As Cui goes on to mention, the courtyard offers a welcoming atmosphere where students can easily connect with one another. The variety of students makes it easy for new friendships to form over shared games and activities.

“It’s very friendly,” Cui said. “I can just go up to people and ask them if I can play and they will let me. The school is very diverse and you can meet a lot of new people.”

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One option outside is playing Jenga or Connect 4 at the tables.