In part one of the eighth season premiere, Degrassi welcomes a new group of students as they adjust to high school life. Mia believes that her junior year will begin on a positive note when she is scouted by a top model agency and befriends a new student. But trouble is in paradise when Mia learns the dark side of the modeling world. Meanwhile Degrassi graduates Emma, Manny and Liberty adjust to the transition of High School to College. Though the girls get involved in a mishap when a mysterious roommate threatens to tear them apart.

Mia becomes a real model after becoming the face of a major campaign, which comes with new clothes, new friends, and new found fame. But Mia learns that there are some sacrifices and choices to be made to stay at the top. Clare sets out to prove she doesn't care what people think, despite what K.C. says.

Jane wants to play football and shows that she can play, but the guys and the football coach aren't so accepting. Darcy says her goodbyes before she leaves for Africa, but Peter is upset that she waited so long to tell him.

In order to make a first impression at Smithsdale University, Liberty decides to pledge for the school's popular sorority. Though, Liberty's determination to join the Greek system ultimately tests her friendship with Emma and Manny. Meanwhile, with Holly J as the new Student Council President she realizes that she is on top of the social food chain. However, her new found power is put in jeopardy when she develops an attraction towards her classmate.

Peter becomes close friends with ladies man Riley, but the friendship becomes less than platonic when Riley gets too close, and tries to kiss Peter. Alli and Clare find a vibrator under Mr. Simpson's bed, after working on a school project there, and things become awkward when Clare brings it to school.

A group of students go on a camping trip for school, including Sav, his sister Alli, and his girlfriend Anya. Sav tries to keep an eye on his sister, who has her eye on Johnny, but Sav is more worried about taking his relationship with Anya a step further, but Anya is concerned that his parents won't accept her. Manny and Emma both have feelings for their roommate Kelly, but instead of fighting, they both set out to prove that he likes them more.

Holly J. is desperate to keep her Queen Bee appearance after learning her parents are in a financial crisis.

Peter's mom, Ms. Hatzilakos unexpectedly drops in for a visit. She's stays at his pad while she's in town, and Peter quickly discovers that his life isn't so rad with mom around.

Spinner and Jane have plans for next year - she'll start pre-law and he'll attend police college. When he doesn't get in, he can't bear to tell her, so he lies. Jane catches him and starts to wonder if her future includes him. Clare gets invited to the dance by both K.C. and Connor. When it looks like their struggle for her attention will jeopardize Robot Wars, she decides to go with neither. Alli gets an anonymous rose but after asking Anya who it was, she reveals that is was Johnny who sent her the rose. When Alli asks Johnny to the Valentine's dance, he rejects her saying he can't go with her because she is a "niner" and his friends will tease him. Meanwhile, Kelly and Emma reveal their feelings for each other and go on a date.

Desperate to win Jane back, Spinner sneaks into the Leadership Convention Jane is speaking at and proposes. When Jane turns him down, Spinner breaks up with her, but when Jane realizes she needs Spinner in her life, she worries she won't be able to win him back. Later Johnny shows up at the bot wars, and admits that he does like Alli and she persuades him to come to the dance. Clare goes to the dance with Connor to avoid hurting his feelings, but when she dances with K.C., the person she really wanted to go with, she hurts Connor anyway. Johnny shows up to the dance to Alli's pleasure. He also gives her, her first kiss and the two begin a relationship from this episode on.

Degrassi has won their first football game, thanks to Riley. He's suddenly become stronger, and tells Peter he is taking steroids. Riley goes on a date with Anya, only to repress his being gay. His old friend from three years ago appears, trying to get closer to him. Riley's becoming more and more unhappy, and severely hurts Sav. Peter confronts Riley, and Riley tells him about his childhood dreams about being a star athlete, having lots of friends, and a girlfriend. Peter tells him he could still be a star athlete and have lots of friends; being gay doesn't change that. Meanwhile, Danny sets up Leia and Derek up on a date after Derek begs and Danny realizes he likes her. Derek says it's fine, and Danny and Leia get together.

The Shep wins Principle of the Year award. Clare gets mad after the Shep continually mistreats Connor. After she and their friends stick up for him, they all get detention. After Alli gets annoyed with Connor for tapping his pencil, Connor spits in her face. Alli breaks his pencil and Connor pushes Alli to the floor, causing expulsion. When Clare finds out Connor has Asperger syndrome, she realizes that Shep still will not treat him any differently. She confronts him, saying he only likes jocks, and Shep calls Connor a freak, and Clare a little bitch. When the award ceremony comes on, they show the video of Clare and Shep's argument, and the school goes against him. This also angers the board of education (and Connor's parents who threaten to file a lawsuit) and Shep almost loses his job due to the video. Instead he is suspended from his position and is ordered by the board to go to sensitivity training in order to avoid being fired because of union rules. Sav's parents understand he wants to date, but he has to marry a Muslim no matter what. Anya leaves, but the next day, Sav tells her that he would still see her, and that he doesn't care what his family says.

Pushed to the edge by Holly J, Alli begins posting nasty things about her on the "anti-Grapevine" blog, the underground school on-line site. When nasty turns to hateful and then to threatening, Alli is expelled from school and questioned by the police. Has Holly J met her match in the mean department?

Mr. Stone, always "Daddy of the Year", pressures Peter into helping out with his half-sister and Peter reluctantly agrees. But when his Angel starts to interfere with Peter's fun, Peter decides responsibility for someone else's child shouldn't fall on him (an opinion that hits his girlfriend, Mia, hard). Will Peter turn his back on his baby sister and let her be raised without a good male role model or will he decide to become a stellar big brother?

The Shep has returned after his sensitivity training and it's Spirit Week at Degrassi. However, spirits are anything but high at home for Jane as she struggles to get her dropout brother Lucas off the couch. Despite Jane's efforts, Jane's mom believes Lucas could benefit from some father/son time. Jane doesn't want her father in her life. Her friends and family don't understand why she hates him. Truthfully, neither does Jane. Danny's new girlfriend Leia has a problem - she doesn't fit in with Danny's friends and lies compulsively to avoid them. Her chance to impress Danny's posse arises at a co-ed sleepover at Peter's pad. After she lies and says she knows Fall Out Boy, her lying gets her too far when she takes the group to the Fall Out Boy concert. When they won't let them in, the group says they won't believe Leia anymore. The next day, Leia apologizes to Danny and he forgives her but Peter, Mia, Sav, and Anya still can't trust anything Leia says.

Jane admits to herself that her issues with her dad go deeper than the divorce - she thinks maybe he did things to her. Jane is very confused and feels alone. Lucas gives Jane a hard time for creating tension between mom and dad. But when Lucas finally sees the truth they stand up to their father. Meanwhile, Alli persuades Clare to get a new wardrobe to impress boys. Only problem, Clare is getting more attention from boys. Can Alli handle not being the only hot gifted niner? When K.C. tries to make her feel better, Alli kisses him which she regrets.

Emma starts doing pot to get rid of her "plain girl" image. After ingesting marijuana brownies and forgetting to take her insulin, Becca goes into a diabetic coma and has to be taken to the hospital. While in class, Emma learns that the campus cops are doing room searches. She calls Kelly to get rid of the marijuana brownies. When Kelly is leaving the room, he runs into campus cops and they find the marijuana brownies. He gets kicked out residence but is still allowed to go to school. K.C. is found to be living in a group home because of his previous life in juvie.

Alli will do anything to keep Johnny from looking elsewhere. After hearing about his "history" she decides to have sex with him, losing her virginity, thinking that it will make their relationship stick. Afterwords she feels uncomfortable around him and decides to break up with him. Johnny later then tells her that he was also a virgin and that his "history" were all rumors. The two get back together with their relationship stronger than ever. Also Peter has been in touch with Darcy which leaves Mia concerned with their relationship. She confronts Peter about the letters from Darcy and asks him if he still has feelings for her. Frustrated that he doesn't have an answer she leaves him. The next day Peter tells Mia that he still loves Darcy but he's in love with Mia. Mia in turn breaks up with Peter telling him that the fact that he couldn't say who he wanted to be with when she first asked him was enough to break up with him.

Stress is at an all time high at Degrassi with exams approaching and course selections due for next term but Mia's failing English and will have to re-do it unless she can ace her final assignment - a public speech on where she sees herself in five years. One problem - the speech is due tomorrow and Mia has a photo shoot tonight. Struggling with a foot in two worlds, Mia bombs her speech. Unwilling to give up the benefits of modeling money, Mia chooses to drop out of school to model full time, but after talking with her mom she decides to go back to Degrassi, realizing that her education will ultimately get her through life, whereas modeling is only a temporary career.

Blue asks Holly J. to the winter dance using a romantic presentation during class, but she has a crush on her co-worker, Spinner, and she says she has to work. The truth, however, is that it was her night off, and she only wants to spend time with Spinner at the Dot Grill. When Holly J. and Spinner are alone in the Dot after work, a former Lakehurst student comes into the Dot with aballoon. When Blue comes to the door, Holly J. is forced to answer and she spells out "gun" in the fog on the window. Spinner eventually gets shot by accident after the student didn't intend to come in there and hurt anybody. In panic, Holly J. reveals her feelings for Spinner. She then convinces the shooter to come out of the Dot with her, and Spinner gets rushed to the hospital with Jane by his side. Spinner says to Holly J. that if it would not have been for her, he would be dead; he had heard everything she said, but reminds her of his relationship with Jane. Holly J. leaves and shows up at the dance, where the entire room applauds her bravery. She dances with Blue and finally informs him of her financial difficulties, which is why she didn't go to the concert with him. He calls her "Holly" and they continue to dance, Holly J. smiling in his arms.

The Degrassi and Smithdale U students venture to Los Angeles. Despite issues at home, Ellie and Marco venture to L.A., as well, to visit Paige, who is now an assistant to an A-list reality TV star. Ellie then reunites with Craig, causing a reconnection between each other but bad timing and Ellie's guilt over avoiding her shell shocked father take their toll. Manny struggles to get a part in a movie, that Paige accidentally gets. Paige lets her good fortune go to her head and transforms into a demanding, obnoxious diva, insulting and belittling everyone in her mini-entourage, particularly Marco, which causes a rift in their friendship. A bad break for Paige and help from her ex Jay and the Studz eventually results in Manny's acting dream coming true at last.

The Degrassi and Smithdale U students venture to Los Angeles. Despite issues at home, Ellie and Marco venture to L.A., as well, to visit Paige, who is now an assistant to an A-list reality TV star. Ellie then reunites with Craig, causing a reconnection between each other but bad timing and Ellie's guilt over avoiding her shell shocked father take their toll. Manny struggles to get a part in a movie, that Paige accidentally gets. Paige lets her good fortune go to her head and transforms into a demanding, obnoxious diva, insulting and belittling everyone in her mini-entourage, particularly Marco, which causes a rift in their friendship. A bad break for Paige and help from her ex Jay and the Studz eventually results in Manny's acting dream coming true at last.

The Degrassi and Smithdale U students venture to Los Angeles. Despite issues at home, Ellie and Marco venture to L.A., as well, to visit Paige, who is now an assistant to an A-list reality TV star. Ellie then reunites with Craig, causing a reconnection between each other but bad timing and Ellie's guilt over avoiding her shell shocked father take their toll. Manny struggles to get a part in a movie, that Paige accidentally gets. Paige lets her good fortune go to her head and transforms into a demanding, obnoxious diva, insulting and belittling everyone in her mini-entourage, particularly Marco, which causes a rift in their friendship. A bad break for Paige and help from her ex Jay and the Studz eventually results in Manny's acting dream coming true at last.

The Degrassi and Smithdale U students venture to Los Angeles. Despite issues at home, Ellie and Marco venture to L.A., as well, to visit Paige, who is now an assistant to an A-list reality TV star. Ellie then reunites with Craig, causing a reconnection between each other but bad timing and Ellie's guilt over avoiding her shell shocked father take their toll. Manny struggles to get a part in a movie, that Paige accidentally gets. Paige lets her good fortune go to her head and transforms into a demanding, obnoxious diva, insulting and belittling everyone in her mini-entourage, particularly Marco, which causes a rift in their friendship. A bad break for Paige and help from her ex Jay and the Studz eventually results in Manny's acting dream coming true at last.