William Cowper once said “variety’s the very spice of life that gives it all its flavors.” But these days, there is just less variety out there.

When we came back from COVID, we had to adapt to many changes. But whether it was school, work, or at home, things eventually went back to normal. But not entirely. While we are now allowed to have lockers, drink from water fountains, and be close to our peers, we are still not allowed to heat our food.

Considering the amount of other responsibilities teenagers have, one would think that we would be trusted enough to use microwaves. Despite the abundance of high schoolers taking Cambridge courses, holding down a job, and taking on leadership positions in their extracurriculars, microwaving our food is too much to handle?

It makes sense that they were removed for our safety. However, many other parts of the school that have returned aren’t all that sanitary. The school won’t let their students warm up their food, yet a 13-year-old is allowed to slobber all over the water fountain. If anything, microwaves should be used to eradicate the germs we have grown to despise.

I have seen what many kids eat during lunch and it’s incredibly disheartening. While there are lunch options that don’t require a microwave to be used, many grow tired of the same, sad meal in the first few months of school.

By the end of November, you start to see kids caving in to their unfulfilled food desires and eat the cold chicken nuggets, enchiladas, and beef burritos they had packed that morning.

It’s time to allow these meals to reach their full potential. Convenience, safety, and variety is what the students of Coral Springs Charter deserve.