TPL is just one of many acronyms in Briarcliff’s lexicon. TPL literally stands for the “town parking lot,” adjacent to the Getty gas station in town. During the day, town residents use this parking lot no differently than any other. They park, shop, return to their cars and leave. But, as the weekend approaches, many high school students, specifically juniors and seniors, have come to use this space as a universal place to meet up.
Boredom is bound to strike in our town. When students find themselves with nothing better to do, it is not uncommon to go down and see who else would want to meet up at TPL. Often times, the parking lot can get rowdy as many visitors come and go. If one were to pass by between the hours of 9-11:30 p.m, he or she would most likely see five or six cars parked adjacent to one another. Due to the cold weather, most prefer to stay inside their cars listening to music while keeping an eye out for other friends’ cars. However, during warmer weather, lawn chairs come out and some take a seat and just watch the world go by.
One must be aware of TPL etiquette. According to Kasey Zhuravlev, “if you feel unwanted, just drive away and come back in the next hour, don’t stay and annoy everyone else.” The action peeks at around 9-11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and then will often die down as the hour approaches midnight. Slowly but surely, depending on whether or not groups of friends have found something else to do, people will trickle back into the parking lot. Rocky’s, a renowned deli open 24/7 on Saw Mill River Parkway in Millwood, is usually the next stop after a TPL visit for those who wish to satisfy their midnight hunger.
Those who spend a lot of time at TPL find that their time spent there can get quite monotonous. Joel Haeling, a current senior remarks, “If the night is coming to an end and you’re sitting in TPL, you’re gonna have a bad time.” But, nonetheless, many are grateful for a place where they can reconcile with some friends after a long week of school.
briarcliffbulletin.com 