Homecoming. A seasonal tribute to grinding circles and glaring spectators. The circle seems to persist year after year, and if you look closely enough and squint your eyes really hard, you may catch a glimpse of the elusive dancer pulling everyone near. Her name is conformity, and she is Queen Bee in this circle.

I wish to but can not deny that at two points in my life I have befriended her and found solace in the ease of going with the flow.

It was ninth grade and my first homecoming dance. I was young and impressionable and my only worry was looking cool.

Instead, I was offbeat and awkward. I looked out past the circle and saw young teens dancing normally. I was shocked. What were they doing? Didn’t they know that this was Homecoming and that they were supposed to be grinding? Obviously they didn’t get the memo. I pitied the poor souls for looking like such nerds, while I forced a smile onto my unhappy face. I had to keep reminding myself that I was supposed to be having fun.

A year flew by and, before I knew it, I was walking in with my Homecoming group when we were all dismayed to find no one grinding. The awkward situation of possibly having to actually dance was quickly remedied, but again I had to keep reminding myself that this was supposed to be fun. And so I painted a smile on my face and waited for the night to end.

Later that year, I attended my cousin’s wedding and for the first time in my life experienced how fun actual dancing can be. I soon realized that many of my friends shared my same sentiments on grinding and yet participated in it because it was the perceived “cool” dance.

So why grind? Well, my dear readers, the seductive dance of conformity is sometimes too strong and its alluring air a welcoming gateway to fitting in.

But take my advice, next time you find yourself at a school-sponsored dance, resist the urge to grind. Who knows, you may find that plain old dancing really can be a good time!