The bell rings and a wave of Cerritos High students head towards the CHS food kitchen to receive their lunch or snack for the day. Instead of all crowding and clumping, the students get in line out of respect to the unspoken rule of order that people follow towards the practice of safely getting food in a timely manner. However, a certain number of students disregard this rule. They risk nothing. All they have to do is be confident, and they get their food much faster.

Anyone interested in becoming a line cutter can simply saunter next to the line, face forward and walking at the same pace, integrate themselves smoothly. Most people hate confrontation, so the people that do witness this strategic cutting stay silent and remind themselves that they are tolerant people.

Another way to do so would be a game of pretend. Everyone usually has someone they know in the line. Just start a conversation! As the conversation continues, conveniently forget about the time, accidentally reach the kitchen and receive some food. Very graceful and easy to do.

Of course, there is also a strategy for those who really don’t have the time to be bothered with social norms: straight up walk to the door, step in front of a stranger (who has probably waited for several minutes), and grab the food. Some witnesses claim that they have been cut in a similar manner by two people at once who simple announced, “Senior privilege” when they cut. While it might seem a brilliantly thought up reason, it is unnecessary. Just cut.

Sometimes, a hard-working lunch lady stands on high ground with a loud speaker to call out the cutters to the back of the line. And sometimes, a brave soul who has reached their limit on the blatant disregard for line etiquette puts their foot down and starts a confrontation. 

People cut in line because there are no consequences to line cutting. People cut in line because it becomes obvious to some without the decency that waiting properly in line is the stupider choice of brainwashed people. And eventually, when everyone reaches this conclusion, there will simply be no line, only chaos.