When transitioning to high school, most students are petrified because it is all new territory; they are going from the oldest in their school to the youngest. However, high school comes with a few unspoken rules between the students. A few examples include walking on the right side of the hallway and not standing in the middle of a walkway. But the biggest unwritten rule between upper and lower classmen is seating in the lunchroom.

The underclassmen are supposed to sit at the long tables, closer to the lunch lines, while the upperclassmen sit at the round tables. That is the rule that has been part of all high schools since the beginning of time, and it must be respected. This year freshmen and sophomores are scavenging for chairs in order to sit at the tables reserved for upperclassmen.  When the underclassmen think stealing chairs from the juniors and seniors is okay, conflicts arise. The idea of seniority will be totally flipped if this continues. If the underclassmen take the round tables now, then once they become upperclassmen, they will be dealing with the same conflicts as the juniors and seniors are today. 

A majority of the upperclassmen have waited for their first two years of high school to be able to sit at the round tables. However, some upperclassmen wish to be in the locker bank or they may leave because of their senior privileges. The lunches are so sardine-packed that open spots are nonexistent. There are plenty of open long tables and even round tables, but no chairs. Some upperclassmen have even brought up chairs from the choir and band rooms to sit during lunch. A few of the long tables are so overflowing with people that the underclassmen steal chairs in order to sit at the end of them. A tactic the ladies use to keep their chairs from the boys is to put their chairs inside the bathroom, located in the cafeteria until they return from the lunch line.

Freshmen and sophomores need to back off. This is upperclassmen territory. The round tables and chairs will still be there when you are juniors and seniors. For now, the long tables are calling you, and you should answer.