Class Reunion

[Auspicious]

I just got the first e-mail about my pending 10-year high school reunion. Oy vey! I doubt I'll go, but it's not out of the question. I have about 12 conflicting feelings whenever I think about high school, as I'm sure most people do.

Anyone have any good reunion stories/theories/opinions?

I had a great time at my 10 year HS reunion. My DH was on call that weekend and couldn't come. Although I wanted to show him off it was easier to spend time with and chat with old friends...he probably would have been bored anyway!

That brings back funny thoughts...
My 10yr was to have been two years ago, I graduated with 45. The plan was to have a picnic at a park in a town 20 miles farther into the country than where we graduated. Then later that night there was going to be a band at a bar in this town (pop. 17), where everyone used to go to get beer!
Sad to say, I was unable to attend.

My wife's 10 yr was the same summer, and we went and had a total blast. She graduated with almost 400, near Wichita KS and we had a huge party at the new hotel by the river. (can't remember the name, that is how much fun we had!!). I got to meet old friends, and old boyfriends. It was fun. There was a guy there who had a crush on my wife in high school and he actually told me that he believed he was going to marry her. Then the rest of the night, he followed us around with his eyes and kept offering to buy us drinks....that was a little creepy.
Overall, it was a great time. Dancing to the music that you know every word to by heart was great (even the terribly bad ones...Ice, Ice Baby...dun, dun, dun, da-dun, dun!!!)

Hey Julie, Go..............you might regretit if you don't.
I missed my 10yr reunion because at the time we were living 1000 miles away from my hometown, due to my wife's residency training, and I couldn't afford to travel back home. (Residency...THE POOR YEARS!) I eventually made my 20yr reunion. It was weird. After 20 yrs you recognize people that you were friends with, but most of them are 40lbs heavier than they were back then. Just talking about life and learning what your old friends are up to now is worth going. I still regret not making the extra effort to attend my 10th yr.
Out of your 12 feelings, the good ones will outweigh the bad.
You should Go!

[Rapunzel]

My 10 year high school reunion is coming up. I do not plan to attend. My memories of high school are not memories I would like to remember - and the bad ones DO outweigh the good by far. I was one of those kids that was shunned at that difficult time in life. As a result I believe that even if I showed up at my 10 year reunion not only would no one recognize me, no one would really care who I was or that I went to school with them at the same time. This point was brought home to me when I attempted to get in touch with a couple of people I went to high school with and some of the only people who would dare interact with such an unpopular "nobody". I was pretty much not remembered and/or ignored. Sad, but true.

My husband also has many more bad memories than good of his high school experience. He does want to go to his high school reunion, though, because he got so much grief from the other kids for being a "nerd" and so very poor and unpopular. He would just looooove to play the "doctor" at "Harvard" card at the moment. We'll see what he decides.... He probably won't do what he muses he might. (I don't think he should do this, personally, because it smacks a bit of revenge/pride).

[DCJenn]

My friend and I went to our 10 and it was hilariously stupid. Everyone was in the 'what do you do' phase of life (and remember, this was in the DC suburbs where is first thing you are EVER asked is what you do or who on the hill you know, work for, have ever met in the grocery store...etc.) So, we laughed at how all of the gorgeous guys turned into beefalos and we admired all of the girls that looked fabulous and left.

Our 20 year is next year and we are DEFINITELY going- now whether we bring spouses is anyone's guess. We got through high school together and they may find the thought horrifying. (We are a scary pair- two obnoxious redheads who have known each other since 4th grade- we have so many inside jokes that we sometimes communicate in our own language!)

My husband's is in 2005 and he really wants to go- he was one of the few who escaped.

Jenn

[SueC]

I just had my 10 year reunion and I went. My husband was on call that weekend so I had to go alone and "tag along" with my two closest friends and their husbands. I found surprisingly that the "popular girls" were much more friendly (I wasn't one of them), the "nerds" were much more outgoing and sure of themselves (I fell more into that category) and everyone looked almost the same, give or take a few pounds. The beefhead guys that were only after one thing were the same--some had dates that looked to be in their early 20's if that. My advise is to go, see what everyone looks like, mingle a bit, and if you still feel uncomfortable go home.

My 10 year reunion was full of surprises and I really enjoyed it. Of course, I spent my whole life in a town of 2,400 people so we knew absolutely everyone quite well. Our school bussed all the kids from other towns in so we had about 150 students in my class. It was a two-day event. The Friday night was a formal dinner and dancing. I ended up at the table with the cheerleaders, which I thought was going to be a disaster being that we were never really friends. I was so surprised!!! I spent a lot of time talking with one of them. She showed me a picture of her kids and her daughter looked identical to what I remember the mom looking like when we were in 2nd grade!

I didn't realize that I had changed that much. I had a few people come up to me at the end of the night telling me that I was the talk of their table ... they couldn't figure out who I was!!!! 8O I guess it was because I was REALLY thin and had long permed hair at my reunion where my hair had always been above the shoulders in high school. One guy ... who used to ask me out all the time in high school, wouldn't even speak to me. It wasn't until the end of the night when I spoke to him and he read my name tag that he figured out who I was.

The reunion was also sad for me in a few ways. A couple of the girls I knew in high school who were just very sweet and innocent in so many ways had really changed. One showed up stoned and the other wore the skimpiest outfit and made out with the guy she was with the whole night. It really left a lasting impression on me. They looked so hard like they played in the world a little too much.

The biggest surprise was the boy that the popular kids (obviously not me) called Fatward (Edward). He came and was totally Mr. GQ! He looked GREAT!!! So I say ... definitely go.

I hear the 20 year reunion is even better because people are more content with themselves and aren't there to impress. The 10-year reunion some my classmates made a big deal about the law school they went to or how successful they had become and there were still the different groups ... cheerleaders, nerds, athletes, etc. I know my husband didn't have as much fun as me but it was totally worth it!!! GO...

Robin

[houseelf]

I would recommend going...It was a trip. My best friend from high school and I went together without our husbands and had a pretty good time. It is fascinating how everyone has evolved....or not. These things are pretty boring for the other spouse so I would recommend going alone. Who's kidding who...it is not like my spouse could get the time off anyway.

The weirdest thing was that seven (7!) out of my 800 plus classmates had died in the ten years since we graduated. Most of them had died in weird accidents. It was a concrete realization that we all have this limited gift of life. Sure, we all know death is possible but to know seven people who had died in their twenties? It made me really grateful to be alive and sad for the losses of their families. I guess that this realization humbled all of the reunion attendees and enabled us to really talk about our lives.

Kelly