6 Tips For Sitting Alone At Lunch In High School

Everyone that has gone through high school has at one time feared the experience of sitting alone during lunch. Especially during the adolescent years when emotions are through the roof, sitting alone is an embarrassing nightmare for most high schoolers. 

But it does not have to be as bad, and it can even be an experience to grow from if you make it so. Whether you struggle to find and make friends or just simply enjoy your own company during lunch, there are ways to turn the experience into a pleasant one. Here are some tips to make the most of sitting alone at lunch in high school.

1. Bring some entertainment.

Sitting by yourself can be the complete opposite of boring and scary if you have something that can keep you entertained and occupied while eating. This can be as simple as an interesting book, music, podcast, or Netflix show. You can even choose to sit by a window with a good view of nature and the outdoors. Since you’re alone, this gives you the advantage to sit wherever you like, and sitting by some entertaining scenery is sure to make the experience a more enjoyable one.

2. Catch up on some school work and assignments.

Eating alone at lunch can be a great time to double-task and get something productive done. Whether it’s studying for an exam, making notes, finishing homework, or doing some planning, you’d be surprised by how much you can get done during your lunch break. Especially if you only do these to appear like you’re busy and not wallowing in your social anxiety, try to stop pretending that you’re productive and actually try to be productive. You might even find that focusing your mind on something constructive will tone down or even completely eliminate your anxiety and insecure thoughts. 

3. Find a good spot.

Remember what we said earlier about sitting by a good view? You can get creative with finding a good spot to eat your lunch alone since there are likely to be a handful of cool places to chill and eat by yourself. If you can, try to plan out where you will eat during lunchtime beforehand so that you don’t end up shuffling around awkwardly when you do have to look for a table at lunch. If you’re especially creative, you can even try finding a spot outside of the cafeteria like an empty classroom or a nearby lounge. And if you genuinely prefer eating alone during lunch, you can be open about it with your teachers so that they can allow you to eat someplace else around the campus. If you’re open and honest about this, they are likely to let you slide (just be sure to ask the teacher that is most likely to approve).

4. Bring some comfort food. 

If you’re going to be eating lunch alone, you might as well make the most of the meal. Try to pack some comfort food that you love or will enjoy savoring every bite. A tasty meal is sure to get your mind off of your anxiety and hooked on what delicious goodness you are about to eat. And since you’re eating alone, you don’t have to worry about having to split some of it, meaning you can enjoy each and every bite. In fact, the food you pack might even be so good to the point that you might attract some new friends. This can be a great way to start socializing, and the best part is that you’re not making the first move!

5. Get comfortable with yourself.

Yes, it might be incredibly uncomfortable and even embarrassing to be sitting alone at lunch in high school. But, the experience only becomes worse the more uncomfortable you are with being by yourself. It might be difficult at first but try to be more comfortable with yourself and enjoy your own company. In simple terms: conquer your fears and insecurities. You can become more comfortable with yourself by focusing on things that are productive or that you enjoy. The better you are able to divert your attention away from your anxiety and towards something worthwhile, the easier it becomes to be comfortable sitting by yourself. 

6. Get there early.

If you do eventually want to start socializing and finding people to sit and eat with during lunch, it would be a great idea to get to the cafeteria early. Chances are, the similarly early ones will be friendly and even easier to approach since there are not as many people yet flocking to the cafeteria. Plus, you don’t need to go across the room to start a conversation with someone, you can choose to talk with the table or whoever is closest to you. 

Conclusion

Sitting alone at lunch in high school is an experience you can flip upside down, and let it be an opportunity for you to grow from. It can be a way to develop yourself by learning to be comfortable alone and enjoying your own company or getting out there and making some new friends. Because really, sitting alone at lunch is only what you make of it, and you decide whether it is a good, bad, or just experience.