The first TOPS event of the year, the 8th grade Beach Party, was an event to be remembered. Held on Friday, September 22nd , most of the eighth grade was buzzing about the party all day. Because of the cooler weather during the week, many students were worried about temperatures ruining the outfits that had been planned weeks in advance.

“I was so excited to wear this skirt that I got at the end of summer…I'm not going to let this weather ruin the night, though!” The attitude of this anonymous student was quite contagious. When the eighth period bell rang at the end of the day, everyone was calling out to friends, our excitement for the night quite obvious and expectant. We were all ready for whatever Mother Nature had in store for us.

At 6:30, the moms had laid out the pizzas and were ready for anything that could possibly come their way. When kids started coming, the wind picked up and everyone was freezing. Girls donned sweaters and clung to each other like monkeys in a barrel. Guys wore their oversized sweatshirts and tried to hold in their shivers.

When I first got there, I couldn't believe how weird it was. The guys were all on one side and the girls were on the other. The DJ tried to get the boys to “be brave and ask the girls to dance” but it was to no avail. When dark came, the party really got started.

When everyone started dancing, it miraculously warmed up. Despite the awkward beginning, the anticipation was still as strong as during the day. With classics like Grease Lightening mixed with Shakira and Justin Timberlake, the DJ totally rocked out to his intense music. The dads stood around the perimeter, some near the water, and others walked through the crowds, stopping the more questionably appropriate dancers.

When the party was in full swing, complete with human pyramids and dancing lessons, a game of limbo was started up and several students showed a hidden talent for bending backwards. The eighth grade beach party was a TOPS event not to be missed.