At approximately 8:30 a.m. Sept. 17 all East Grand Rapids public schools entered into a partial lockdown. This lockdown, caused by a threat to a high school student from a family member, resulted in off-campus lunch being cancelled for both fourth and fifth hours.

During their lunch periods, five hundred students crowded in the cafeteria and entryway seating as well as on hallway floors. Local restaurants such as Jimmy John’s, Jose Babushka’s, and Jet’s delivered food in order to feed all students. Many students didn’t seem to mind the arrangement because of the free meal they received.

“I usually go home but we get free food so it’s okay,” one student said about the unusual situation on the Vision’s Instagram Live video. Another similarly said, “I usually like to go out to lunch, but it’s nice having free food.”

However, minor inconveniences such as being unable to retrieve sports gear or papers and textbooks from home made the experience less enjoyable for some.

“I’d rather be able to go home and see my dog,” a different student admitted.

Other students were able to take a step back from their feelings about the disruption to their school day and remind themselves of the logical reason behind it.

“It’s just [the school administration] allowing safety to happen,” said a particularly astute student about the lockdown.