Ping-Pong: A Popular Lunch Break Tradition at MRHS

During lunch, students at Marriotts Ridge High School take this time to relax before their 4th-period class starts or in the middle of their period. Many students use this time to eat their lunch and talk to their friends. However, there is another option for students to partake in, ping-pong. Students have many opinions on ping-pong during lunch.
Table tennis, also known as ping pong is very popular around the world, with millions of players playing the game every day, both casually, as well as competitively in many international competitions such as the Olympics. There are many ways people can get involved in the sport, such as learning it from their friends, watching people play ping-pong or just being interested in the sport. Many students at MRHS share similar views on this.
“I didn’t know much about ping-pong until last year when I found out this school had ping-pong tables. I was just watching the students play, and that got me interested, but I didn’t start playing. This year I started playing more ping-pong because it just looks fun,” junior Yaser Abdullah said.
Ping-pong can also help people make new friends or connect with classmates. Many people who are new to this school can come to the ping-pong table, and interact with new people. They may share similar interests with them, and using ping-pong can connect with them. Students can also use this as a time to get to know their classmates better. Meeting classmates at the ping-pong table can forge friendships and can help get to know classmates better.
“For me whenever I play ping-pong, it’s just easier to play with a new person, people just want to pop in with a new tournament or whatever, and when you play ping-pong with somebody you get to know them better, and break that original seal and become friends,” junior Surya Maroju said.
Many people when they play ping-pong play casually with their friends after lunch, or just to pass the time. Others, like to play competitively with other students to prove their dominance over the table. These students, known as “the sweats,” make ping-pong a competition for most students. At every lunch, one of the tables is usually the table for “the sweats,” and these students like to play friendly competitions or tournaments during lunch.
“I’ve been to hundreds and hundreds of lunch tournaments, I haven’t won one yet, but I’ll win one soon,” freshman Arya Maroju said.
Seasoned players give great advice on playing ping-pong. Most of the players on the table are students who have played the sport for a long time and are willing to teach students how to play the game better. Many pieces of advice are not based on playing the game, but how to save your spot so that nobody takes it, and which table to choose based on your skill level. This can help students a lot, especially if they are starting to play the sport for the first time.
“Just practice and get used to it, and you’ll get better as you go on. I’m not that good right now, but if I practice more, I’ll get better,” freshman Fareez Baibars said.
During lunch, ping-pong has become a popular way for students to relax, socialize and compete during lunch. Whether playing casually with friends or joining competitive tournaments, students bond and build friendships over the game. The ping-pong tables offer a fun and engaging way to connect with classmates, while seasoned players help newcomers improve their skills. It’s a lunchtime tradition that encourages both fun and personal growth.