Actually, my experience with meeting up with former classmates was kind of opposite yours. Sure, when I attended my 20th reunion a couple of years ago, there were the now-overweight cheerleaders and the bald, fat jocks, but the really pleasant surprise was how “un-clique-ish” we all became. The formerly “high-caste” classmates became much more human as we all got older, grayer, fatter, and more experienced. Us nerds had lived a bit more, gained some perspective and life experience, and learned a bit more about being a comfortable part of a social gathering. Some of us had two or three marriages under our belts, others had never been married, many of us had kids, some had grandkids… but we all had lived a lot more than in high school, and had gained some perspective about our relative worths and our places in the world. It was really a lovely experience, and I can’t wait until my 25th reunion.
All that maturity after only 20 years? I have to think that you were seeing some things through rose tinted glasses. Most 20-year reunions (from talking to people who attended theirs) seem to involve a lot of self-centered people who are either consumed with their own success in business or obsessed about their progeny. At least at 40 years, people weren’t incessantly yammering on about how popular their teen cheerleader is or the quality of Johnny’s poop. Of course, at 40 years many are yammering on about their grandkids, so I guess it never stops. I just found the whole thing rather pointless and forced.
Thank you! Now I don’t feel so bad about turning 40 next month!
I never understood people who said they never wanted to go to a high school reunion. I’m always curious how people turned out.
It was a hoot!
Some of us had been together since 3rd grade abnd we hung out all night. Some divorces (mine was one of them, she was in our class, didn’t show up.) some with kids starting college, one guy who’s wife is expecting twins, and some old friends who even though they have gray hair, heart attacks and are bald, haven’t changed a bit.
Also a couple of real beatiful ladies, hubba-hubba.
It was at Rose’s Run Country Club.
I did not get home until 4:00 am.
Glad to hear you had fun! My 35th will be next year…my class had been doing good having one every five years, but the 30th one they flubbed up on…can’t wait for the next one!
I ran into an old classmate the other day who said she’s never go to another one because at our tenth, she and her husband got a gag gift for having the most kids,…5! The gift was a box of condoms…she was so humiliated she’ll never go back…I told her she should have been flattered that people were asking her to slow down and let them catch up…some of the really cute girls hadn’t even managed to get married, much less have a kid, and there she was, barreling along, having sex all the time and popping out kids…they were just jealous! Especially because she was one of those girls who you thought would NEVER get a guy…lol.
We always love the drama of waiting to see if divorced classmates show up and talk to each other…one year the ex-cop who was recently in jail showed up on the arm of his lawyer, and his ex wife showed up in a drop-dead sexy dress…such fun!
My 30th was a few years ago. I didn’t go, just as I didn’t go to any of the others they may have had. I didn’t hang with anyone I went to High School with when I was in school with them, why would I care 30 years later?
I have no use for that crowd of assholes. I’m not the least bit curious how they turned out, and wouldn’t care if they all evaporated tomorrow.
However, I do understand that people enjoy going. Every high school experience is different, and some folks enjoyed it. So, I don’t knock high school reunions, or people who go. I just don’t care to participate in them.
I guess I missed the announcement of my 30th anyway. I graduated in 1977.
BMalion, I hope that you and your classmates have a lovely time.
ETA: Let me change that to “I’m glad to hear that you and your classmates had a lovely time”.
I went to my 30th a couple of years ago, it was the first reunion I had been to. Saw a few old girlfriends and introduced them to my wife. It seemed that the females were mostly looking good, while the guys had gotten more noticeably fat & bald.
The real cultural difference was between the folks who had stayed around town and the folks who had struck out for greener pastures. It’s a very small rural town, so the stayed-around ones were deeply representative of the local culture, as could be expected. While the others were distinctly more worldly, as could be expected also.
The one fascinating aspect to me was - as this was a very small town it was easy to say that I knew everyone in my graduating class. I was involved in everything so I got around to all the different groups and at least had an acquaintance with everyone. Well, there was this one guy there at the reunion with his wife who I had no recollection of. Everyone there knew him and was friends with him, but for the life of me, I swear I have never met him. Oddly, he wasn’t in any of the yearbooks that we had there.
Heh. I meant it in a more social-experimenty kind of way, not necessarily out of fondness for the old chums and great times.
I went to my 30th class reunion two years ago. I had gone to the fifth (lame) and the 10th (boring). Skipped the next few due to pregnancies/young kids/divorce. I had an absolute ball at my 30th. I graduated from a very small class (50), and we were very close. Last year the class of '78 invited us to join in on theirs and it was even more fun than the 30th. Absolute riot. A friend/classmate and I are talking about putting together a 32nd class reunion.
I’m not interested in reunions. I didn’t have a hard time in high school. I got along with everyone, including teachers. I enjoyed going. I was sad when it was over.
But, it was 11 years ago and I’ve moved on. I don’t speak to anyone from high school much any more. I know of one person who died, which was unfortunate at his young age.
I think my years in foster care have had an impact on my feelings about keeping in touch. If I tried to keep in touch with everyone I counted as a friend in my high school years, I’d spend the rest of my life trying to keep everyone straight.
Nope. I tend to be a loner and I like it like that. I have one or two very close friends and my family. If someone from high school contacts me, I’ll have a nice conversation with them but it probably wouldn’t go any further than that.
I missed my 10th reunion - mainly because I had no interest in going. I have no intention of going to any others.
I am on facebook and myspace. I have a very distinct name. If anyone wants to find me, it would take them about 5 seconds.
Well that’s what Facebook is for…LOL. I may go to my 15th or to my 20th…I didn’t go to my 10th…too PTSD …shudders
My 30th reunion was just a few weeks ago. I am still in contact with one HS friend, and he went to the reunion. The other day, he forwarded me a “class picture” of all the attendees and I only recognize him, and one of the girls I used to date.
By the looks of the picture, everyone has aged 30 yrs. The guys have bigger bellies and balder heads and the girls are starting to get crows feet, amongst other things.
I think there were 48 in the picture and we had 200 in my graduating class. So a ~25% success rate. I wonder if that is typical? I went to my 10th year and I believe we had about 75 classmates.
My buddy was also kind enough to forward a database of everybody’s current address and email address.
Glad you had fun, BMalion!
I try to catch my five-year-increment high school reunions whenever I can. I went to my 25th just last year, and had a very good time. My experience was similar to that of Lacunae Matata; most of the cliqueish teen BS was gone, and it was just a nice bunch o’ folks with a common youthful experience gathering for a friendly night together. No regrets. Got to catch up with some people with whom I’d long ago fallen out of touch, and hung out with some great friends with whom I’ve been in touch all along (via email and snail mail) but just don’t get to see all that much.
A bunch of us are getting together at The Great Lakes Brewing Co. next week. I love this.