I have my 35th high school reunion coming up in 3 weeks. I did go to my 10 year one which was not a great time. People still huddled in their cliques and wouldn’t mingle. Plus, I had to kick one guy (lightly) in the shins and tell him to quit hitting on my somewhat drunk best friend and go back to his wife. I haven’t been back to one since.
Friends and family now insist that things have changed, that my classmates will have lightened up and matured and they promise that it will be a fun time. I’m not exactly convinced, but am willing to give it a shot.
So, tell me your HS or college reunion stories - good or bad.
My wife had a horrible time in HS - smarter than the rest of the kids, completely out of step with her schools culture, had very few friends. She had no desire to go to her 10-year HSR but I insisted.
She went there expecting to find the same social dynamic… and failed. All the “popular” kids were still in the same small town, married to the same loser guys they dated in the 12th grade. One woman, who Laura said was extremely popular, came up to us and pretty much sneered “So, what have you been doing?”
“Well, we just got back from London. John and I live in Atlanta, where he’s an up-and-coming junior executive working for his family’s business.”
“Oh…”
“Is Ray still selling used cars?”, my wife asked sweetly.*
Yeah… it was pretty awesome.
As for my HS reunion, I can’t remember if I’m class of '84 or class of '85, don’t really care, and have never been to one.
*No. He had been fired for being drunk on the job. Ray was the sort of person who’s life peaked in high school - kind of like Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite.
I went to my tenth… or tenth and a half, as we did an end of year party. It was… awesome. Hatches buried, water under the bridge. As kids many bullied me. Now… I have to admit they grew up, and appreciate the maturity of the guys (mainly) who came up to me apologizing (sincerely) for their stupid behavior. Really, it was awesome.
Also, karma weights 40 pounds (I lost about 20 lbs since HS, they had gained 20 lbs).
People grew up, and it was nice to see the improvement. Oh, and the ones who bullied me the most? Nah, they didn’t show up, so no need to even think of them. And it was open bar!
The only one I’ve ever gone to was my 10th (I was in town because my brother was getting married, so it was kinda on a lark anyway). Here’s what I remember from it: the popular crowd still wouldn’t talk to us plebes. There was one gal there who was kind of a burnout in school and I could not figure out why she was there at all since she was by herself (we spent a large part of the night outside smoking and talking - best part of the night).
And the one whackjob, the one guy who liked to start shit and beat people up?
Went to my 20th and 25th. Had a great time at both. Reconnected with several good friends that have again become good friends. Some acquaintances became good friends. I asked my wife if she wanted to go to the 20th. She absolutely did not but wanted me to go. I got drunk and had a great time. After she accused my of sleeping with my ex girlfriend. I did not. At my 25th I was single and had a great time. This time I did sleep with someone but it wasn’t my ex girlfriend.
One of my high school classmates was always carrying on about one ailment or another, although it never seemed to me like there was actually anything wrong with her. The coolest thing was that whenever a pop test was announced in class, she would faint. I don’t think she was faking since she hit the floor hard. Everyone wanted to be in class with Barb because there were never pop tests.
Her boyfriend was, I thought, the greatest guy in our class. He was smart, good looking, well-to-do, athletic, and classy. For some reason, however, Barb’s father forbade her to see Bob and watched her like a hawk. Bob moved away.
Ten-year reunion: Barb and Bob are both married to others. They hook up and leave early. Barb has a stroke and dies in their motel room during the night.
Apparently I was wrong about her being a hypochondriac.
I helped organize and attended my 40th. First and last time. Boring affair, although I got to see a few people that I had good memories of. Otherwise: meh.
I had my 40th two years ago. It was great. We rented a boat and had a sailing cruise and it was fun seeing everyone again. Our class was very close knit in a small school, and most of us knew each other from kindergarten.
Had my 15th (HS) last November. After missing my 10th, it was nice to see people again. (though being the 15th and not 10th, relatively lite turnout) Fun hearing how people’s lives have changed in the last 15 years, realizing I’m not all that much different. Nicest part? Most of the guys are going bald. (just like me)
I think what most have said here is right, the cliques have broken up.
I’ve been to my 10th, 20th, and 30th. Next year will be the 40th, but I haven’t heard yet if there’s to be anything going on, and that concerns me.
I remember at my 10th one guy who wasn’t actually there, but I’ve seen since, and read about in our local paper. Phil had been in all the plays, musicals and singing groups and firmly intended on going into show business. But by the time of the 10th, he sent back a message for our memory book and told us how, a year after we graduated, he got “the call” and was now in training at a seminary to be a Catholic priest. Said “it wasn’t something I’d ever thought about before, but when the call came I couldn’t say no.” So this short little blonde dude ended up a missionary in Africa for years, and last I heard was a wheel in some church agency in Washington D.C.
Skipped both my 10 & 20 year reunions. Partly because I have stayed in touch with the people I wanted to but mainly because my school had a problem with abusers while I was there (not me but a friend who committed suicide over it) and I’m not going to support anything to do with the place anymore.
I was going to go to my 10th, when it was tentatively scheduled for this June. Then they said since they didn’t have anything ready they were rescheduling it for 12 hours before Thanksgiving.
When people complained they whined about doing their best and blah blah blah. I wish they would have said they were sorry they agreed to plan it and let someone else take over.
I understand we’re not the first class ever to try Thanksgiving for a class reunion. The class before us from my high school did last year actually and it was really poorly attended.
The logic is that a lot of alums are in the area that week, but I think there’s a reason everyone comes back… something involving turkey. It’s like opening an independent coffee shop in a small town next door to its only Starbucks because your research indicates everyone buys coffee on that block.
I graduated in 2004, so no official class reunions yet. but her have been places where I’ve happened to meet some people I haven’t seen since June, '04. I was not a Cool Kid in high school, but when I’ve met some of these people (most of whom were Cool Kids) in the Real World it was a good time. The important thing is: you have a few drinks and remember how stupid you all were in high school. Now you’re all (1)real people, (2)living in the real world, and (3)you’re all adults. Just treat it like you would treat any occasion with a lot of people who you don’t know*. Try to have a good time and you’ll probably succeed.
*Think about it: are you the same person you were in high school?
I’ve skipped most of mine, since I didn’t like those people then. Why would I pay money to see them now? But I do have an amusing story about my 10 year:
I was standing in a group of people, chatting about others. I was saying “It isn’t fair. I came here to see all the cheerleaders fat and pregnant, but there’s L***** W****. She’s still trim, she’s still hot, she’s still cute…” and someone leaned in from behind me and said “She’s still a bitch, too.”
