Well I went ...

[migirl]

... to my high school's 10-year class reunion this weekend! I wasn't sure that I wanted to attend, since - like many others here - I didn't have the ideal high school experience. So, I went back and forth as to whether or not I should go because I felt like I still had a lot of unresolved "issues" from that time, but my curiousity ended up winning out and I went primarily to see how and what people were doing. Luckily, DH was able to go with me, it was really nice having him there (partly so I could show him off 8) - I wasn't exactly being begged for dates ). I felt bad a couple of times because I was so busy catching up with old friends while he was just standing off to the side making small talk with my friends' husbands, but he said that he had a good time.

Anyway, the good part was that I got to see and catch up with some very good friends that I had lost touch with over the years. It was wonderful to see them, and I made sure to get phone numbers and email addresses so that we can stay in touch in the future.

The "bad" part was - and I feel a bit guilty about this - I left there feeling really good about myself and the way my life has turned out. You know how people say that for a lot of the "popular" kids in high school, the high school years are (sadly) the best time of their lives? I think that was definitely true for some of my classmates. (In case you couldn't tell, I still harbor some envy and resentment from that time in my life. ) A lot of the "pretty, popular" girls who wouldn't give me the time of day had really let themselves go and were very obviously unhappy with where they were in life. I feel awful and spiteful for saying this, but I got a certain amount of satisfaction from that. 8O I hope I don't come off as being mean or nasty, I just felt somewhat vindicated for how I had been treated in high school. I was also pleased to see that some of my classmates who I thought had been treated rather unfairly were very happy and successful in their lives.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with school reunions? I'm not trying to stir up any bad feelings or open any old wounds, I'm just curious to know if anyone else has gone through something similar.

[Meenah]

Good for you!!!!! I haven't been to any of my reunions,but I'm sure I would feel the same!!!
Luanne

[SuzySunshine]

Jane,
My ten year is next year and I see a lot of the same things happening. My best friend, since we were 10, and I really want to go to catch up with people but at the same time we don't look forward to seeing some of our friends that we know are still stuck in that high school mentality, always trying to out due each other and not living their own lives.

That is great that you went, and great that you had a good time!

[SueC]

My 10 year was last year--I was not one of the popular kids and I was feeling a little happy to see that some of the pretty, popular girls didn't go that far in life and the good-looking, popular guys (that never said two words to me) were fat and balding. Unfortunately I couldn't take my handsome husband with me because he was on call! I'm glad you had fun--try not to feel too bad about how you felt about the popular kids!

[mommax3]

My 10 year was in 1996, and I went and had a lot of fun. I noticed the same thing, about the people who obviously "peaked" in high school, but I really enjoyed catching up with people who had spent the previous 10 years doing a lot of interesting things.

I was never one of the popular people, but my class was big enough (over 500) that most people weren't part of the "in" group. There were a lot of different circles of people (the brains, the band geeks, the choir people, etc.) and I had a foothold in several of them, so there were plenty of people that I wanted to talk to --- and that doesn't even include the people I had been friends with in elementary school and junior high that I had lost touch with in high school. It was funny how easily I was able to reconnect with some people, but also how weird I felt about approaching the "popular" people, even if we had grown up together.

Not too many of the people I had been friends with had kids yet, and I had a one year old at that point, so that was a little different for me. I know that a lot of them have had kids since then. I don't know if my class will have a 20th reunion, or will wait until the 25th to get together again, but I will definitely go if I can.

At the time of my 10th reunion, DH was entering his fourth year of med school and we had no idea we would be leaving our home state for an 8 year hiatus in Texas! If I had known, I would have been more diligent to get email addresses, etc., but I thought I would be close enough that if I wanted to get in touch with someone, I would either run into them or their parents and get their information if I needed it. My mom saw two of my good friends from high school over the summer and they both asked for my email address, so we'll see if anything comes of that.

I am glad you had a good time!

Sally