From the courtyard to the front lawn to the couch under the amphitheater steps, students scatter all around campus to enjoy their lunch and the unique aspects of their specific spots around Archer. Here are some places students enjoy gathering for lunchtime beyond the central courtyard:

For those who have a lot of energy, want to run around or try playing basketball, eating lunch on the backfield is the perfect spot. The backfield is also the best place to go if you want to see some of the Archer dogs enjoying the outdoors. Usually, groups of middle schoolers sit here.

“In this area you can see everyone running around and you can have fun. It’s warm, and it’s not too crammed with a bunch of people surrounding you,” sixth grader Casey Young said. “You have space, but you’re not isolated.” 

If the sound of traffic on Sunset is comforting to you and you like the view of the Maypole while you’re eating, then sitting on the front veranda is a great option.

“I really like it because there’s not a lot of people — it’s very peaceful here, and you can hear the cars in the distance,” eighth grader Caroline Collis said. “I like the sun specifically on this spot and the scenery.” 

The amphitheater is always bustling with people during lunch, so you will always be able to find a classmate when you need last-minute homework help or study tips. Many students sit on the large steps of the amphitheater, as well as at the many tables surrounding the bottom in the shade.

“I really like this area because it’s so central to things that happen,” sophomore Lilly Dembo said. “There’s so many people in our grade who also sit around here. If you have questions about homework, if you see someone in your class… we just all socialize here.” 

And if you have a math class, you never have to worry about being late to fourth period: the couch under the amphitheater steps is less ten steps away from your classroom!

“We really like how comfortable this couch is, and I like the way you can also be comfortable while eating,” sophomore Lexi Wolf said. “If you have a class right across the way, you can walk 2 feet away to it.” 

For spectators and doers alike, the floor — whether in hallways, the courtyard grass or the area shaded by the amphitheater steps — is the perfect place to observe and partake in all of the action.

“Whether you want to sit on the couch, or you’re like me, and you just sit on the floor to watch everything because you’re a floor person, it’s so much fun to see everything and be able to talk to your friends,” Dembo said.

Sometimes, the best lunch spots can be found where seemingly random, circular and flat objects become makeshift tables for people to gather around. For example, the drain cover on the front lawn.

“One person sat here because they used the [drain cover] as a table,” seventh grader Charlotte Joe said. “Then, everyone came, and we love it here now.” 

While many students enjoy sitting in the courtyard because of how neutral the area is to everything happening in the school, these are some other places to try for those who want a change in scenery.