So... High School Reunions... Who goes?

[Kate CA]

And if you go, were you glad you did? I was just notified about my (cough) 20th and I don't really have much interest in spending $190 to see folks I have not seen in 20 years, but I am curious. Was yours worth your time, effort, and money? :)

[Colleen]

My 20th was last August. I kinda, sorta wanted to go and was a bit disappointed when I realized it was being held the same weekend Hans's parents would be flying in. I was involved in a lot of activities in high school and had a lot of friends, but I've kept up with very few of them. Some of the people I'm most curious about were either a year ahead or behind me, and others went to the high school across town. So of course none of those other folks were going to be there. Then, too, I knew that a number of the people I was most interested in seeing wouldn't be in attendance. But the A-#1 reason I didn't go was because it was being held at a casino. Loads of meetings and reunions and receptions and what-have-you are held at casinos now ~ here in Washington, anyway ~ and that makes my decision whether or not to attend very easy. I won't give my business to a casino.:)

Once I decided not to go, I didn't give it another thought. My interest in attending was pretty much a passing fancy. I just...can't imagine having a whole heckuvva lot to talk about with these people.;)

[TMarie]

I wanted to go to my 20th. I didn't when my only friend, with whom I have remained close, decided not to go. Boy have I regrettted it. Later I learned that many friends from other schools & other graduating years were there as spouses & dates. Even my first cousin was there and he went to a school across town!

Maybe I'll make the 30th?

[Plaid Dad]

I've kept in touch with the (very) few people I liked in high school, so I don't have any interest in reunions. If I want to know what people are doing, I can google them. ;)

[BamaTanya]

I do! I would have gone to my 10th, but my brother was getting married that weekend (out of town) and I only went to the registration/party. I went to my 20th and had a blast! I was involved in lots of activities in high school and knew a lot of my 325 member class. Yes, I keep up with close friends, but it was also fun seeing the people I don't ordinarily contact. Mom and Dad watched the kids while dh and I spent the night in the hotel.

That said, it's pretty easy for me to go since we still live in the same town.

I didn't get to my college 20th, and I wanted to go -- I just couldn't justify the expense at the time.

Looking forward to the next one!

[CookieMonster]

But I was unable to go. I wanted to go just as much as I didn't want to go. Despite the hassle and expense, I think there can be a lot of positives to it.

I thought it was extremely rude that our class president didn't email me back when I asked for pertinent information. I began to wonder whether the whole thing had actually gotten planned. But, I was completely unable to attend, so it ended up a moot point for me.

[Lisa at Home]

Even though it was held in the town in which I live. They definitely planned on doing a lot of drinking and gambling, with door prizes. :confused:

Anyway, I have kept up with those who are important to me, and they weren't going to attend. Like Colleen, I had a lot of friends a year before, a year behind, or across town.

I don't regret not going. You should just do what you want to do.

~Lisa

[Closeacademy]

My 20th is next year. I went to the 15th and had a lot of fun. It was worth the trip because I got to visit with my relatives that live up that way, show my dc and dh the areas I grew up in.

Seeing everyone from high school again was interesting and everyone was so nice. The girl who hated me in school was just wonderful and it was like we had always been friends. People really changed a lot (matured) and it was fun finding out what people where doing and passing around pictures of kids and such.

Mine was a fairly cheap reunion--$35.00 for both of us.

If you go I hope you have fun.:001_smile:

[lynn]

My class did not have one but I was invited to others. I did not go last summer although I really wanted to. Things just did not work out. I went to dh and he really did not want to. One of his classmates paid for the whole thing at his house of course and catered bbq. I enjoyed dh's although I did not know anyone. He was quite a popular guy in his class.

My opinion if you think you may regret it go for it and enjoy.

[Jennifer in MI]

$190 seems expensive. I think mine was $30. Anyway, I did choose to go to my 15th. (My 20th is next year.) I had a blast!! But, I really enjoyed high school and had a lot of friends. I still keep in touch with about 15 people from my class and I see them about once a year anyway. So, I knew I wouldn't be standing there without anyone to talk to!!

It was particularly interesting because I sat next to a girl who I never talked with in high school. Come to find out we have SO much in common now! She homebirths, homeschools, stays at home, etc. She's one of my best friends now!

Now, I'm trying to find a way to make it to my 15th college reunion.

[Shelly in IL]

after not getting to go to any of the others (we lived 14 hour away).

Not many people left my home town, and when I went back nothing really changed with the girls. They all looked consistently better than the boys. The girls were still high schooly in my opinion. I did have several nice conversations with some of the guys whom I was not friends with in H.S. They were nice and were interesting.

That being said, if I wasn't home at the time (we now live 6 hours away) I don't know that I would spend the money or time to get there.

[GothicGyrl]

There is a reason I haven't spoken to those people since high school and I'd like to keep it that way. I have absolutely zero need or want to go to an over priced drink/brag fest with people I cannot stand.

Unless I could pull off a Romy and Michelle, there is no way I even care about those knobs.

[Susan in IL]

Last year was my 35th and I did not go. There is a web site and after looking at it, I am glad I didn't. They still are in the same cliques as high school. The few people that I would like to have caught up with didn't attend either. Out of a graduating class of almost 600, there were only 70 that went, mostly ones that still live in the area (a 2 hour drive from me). It was only a one night event and only $45.

[Karenciavo]

I went to a very small school down the Jersey shore, 4 towns sent their children to this high school and still we had only 98 students in our graduating class. They have a high school reunion every year, I'm not kidding. I've never gone. The only person I was close to is still a very close friend and we chat a few times a week. We were both outsiders who skipped a lot of school and did a lot of um, let's just say we were very naughty indeed. Now she's a PCA pastor's wife and I'm a former church secretary with a worship leader husband. Life is funny.

[Elisabeth in IL]

I attended a high school reunion last year. It was fun to see people that I haven't seen since high school. Our reunion was a bit different in that I attended a small Christian school and the reunion included several graduating classes.

[shell in SC]

ITA with Toni!

There's a reason I haven't kept in touch with those people! I still keep in touch with 2 people that went to my high school. one was my prom date (we were just friends) and the other is my best friend. The others I really don't care about. . .I would love to be one to go and brag, but instead I stayed home from my 20th and just reflected on the great things in my life that I have been blessed with!

shell

[Mad Charity]

I went to my husbands and it was a huge drag. We stood around and talked to people until we were exhausted and bored out of our minds. My dh whispered to me that he needed air, we walked to Starbucks, then he decided we needed books. We ended up at a bookstore, all dressed up, all caffeined up, and happier.
I moved around a lot, dropped out of high school two months before graduation and have NO plans to go back.

[JFS in IL]

after I graduated, gee, I NEVER got invited or heard of any reunions...I was not one of the "in" crowd. Did hear of the 25th reunion - it was a very swank party at an extremely expensive resort and waaaay out of the price range of any except the "in" crowd. From what I heard from a reliable source (mom, of course) many other local grads were NOT invited, either, and only about 40 people from a class of several hundred attended.

Oh, well - to misquote Groucho - "I would not want to join any club that would ahve someone like me for a member".

[Jenny in Atl]

I would not mind being a fly on the wall to see who is still alive, not in jail, and a productive citizen. Can you tell I did not go to a great high school http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/mittelgrosse/medium-smiley-145.gif

I can only think of maybe two people I would enjoy seeing again, and neither of them were in my graduating class, both a year ahead of me.

Go Dunwoody Wildcats 1983....:smilielol5: I'm so old :tongue_smilie:

[Mrs. H.]

My 10th (yes, 10th!) is this year, and I'm not going. I still hear a lot from my family about people I went to high school with, and they don't seem to have changed any. I haven't talked to any of my high school friends since we graduated, and we all live very different lives now, so I don't see any point in going.

Now, dh's 5th law school reunion is also this year, and we are going to that. We had many good friends that we've kept in touch with since his graduation, and we expect to have a blast.

We didn't go to dh's 10th high school reunion either. He was a heavy partyer back then, and we knew it would be a drunken event on the lake, just like in high school. I've never been into that kind of partying, and dh isn't anymore, so we stayed home.

[PrairieAir]

Dh and I were just talking about this Sunday. He mentioned that my 20th will be next year and that maybe it would be fun to go. His 20th is the next year and we graduated from the same school. I don't know if he's interested in going to his reunion or not. He never has been into that sort of thing, but he is the one who brought up my reunion. I think we will probably go.

We went to high school in Ohio, so it's a long trip, but we have other friends we'd like to see about an hour away. I'd really love to do a family trip. Also, we graduated from a very small school. My class had 28 people including two foreign exchange students. I think that made everyone closer. I definitely remember everyone in my class.

The last time they had a reunion (10th), I looked forward to it until I found out what they were doing. It was a potluck picnic at a park in a neighboring town. That's it. One afternoon. They made a big deal out of the fact that the park had a Big Toy (jungle gym) for all the kids to play on. Whoopee! That's not exactly a reason to drive 12 hours. If they do the same kind of thing for the 20th, we may go anyway and just make that a very small part of a family trip. I really would like to see everyone again.

[Antonia]

No. I had one really good friend in hs, and we have kept in touch these thirty years. The only other person I would have cared about seeing would have been my high school sweetheart, but he recently commited suicide. Now I can't imagine going knowing I would never see him there.

[Just Me]

My dh and I graduated the same year from the same school. So we always say that we see the most important person from our class every day!!

Otherwise, no, we don't go. We live in the same town we graduated from, so we see most of the people we would see at the reunion anyway. Plus, we aren't willing to spend the money.

[Amy loves Bud]

Don't go. Not even sure we had one. There were only 37 in my graduating class, and if history is any suggestion if I didn't plan it, it didn't happen. :001_smile:

[Remudamom]

Nope, they couldn't pay me enough to show up. I went to a private school with 12 in my class. I did have a best friend in class but she died when we were in college. My other dear friend went to a different high school and I visit her when I visit my parents.

[Debbi in Texas]

Did not go to 10th or 20th. Or any others they may have had. Or any they plan to have.

I did not have a very good high school experience,(can you tell?) although some people were nice to me and have been courteous through the years.

I would have been a good candidate for homeschool during my high school years.

[cin]

I would NOT go. In fact, if I see anyone from high school when I'm out and about, I usually duck down an aisle. High school was the MOST unpleasant part of my life. I was not in one of THE cliques, and I do not want to re-visit.

[GVA]

I went to my 10th because I was workng in the area and able to go with one of my high school girlfriends.

Didn't go to the 20th because I was pregnant and living across the country. The idea of flying that far and bringing my preschooler didn't appeal to me.

Won't go to the 30th because frankly I have far less ties there now other than a handful of work friends that I still correspond with and one aunt/uncle that I'm close to. My parents live there, but both have dementia and we're estranged. Sad to say, the only time I'll probably go back is if there's a family funeral.

Funny how life changes!

[Tracey in TX]

I attended 10th Reunion, but had prior commitments during 20th Reunion. Wished I could've attended as I'm one of the few friends who moved far away and don't keep in close contact.
IMO $200 is worth the investment to reunite with former friends.

[Doran]

My 10th was quite the event (for me). I was newly unattached, after dating the same man for SIX YEARS!!! I had just begun dating a Brit who sounded great, looked good, and ultimately turned out to be a real bozo...but that's another story. The night of the reunion, I was out to prove something. I had changed since high school. Boy, had I! Now, Kate, I doubt this is your goal, but I'll put it out there all the same.

I wore a white LEATHER dress. It was form fitting (as much as is possible in leather), off the shoulder, and above the knee. I was tan, thin, and...well...single. Let's face it, I was hot! I should mention that I darn near chickened out of wearing that dress, but my good friend told me she'd never speak to me again if I didn't, and for some stupid reason, I believed her!

So, off I trolloped, with a smart looking boy on my arm, in my sveltness, my short hair all grown out, my....mmmhmmms all grown up....! I could just see the heads turn when I walked in that room. And, it felt SO GOOD!
I am not one who calls attention to my SELF very easily. So, that particular reunion was a big milestone for me.

I've never been to another one. :D:D:D


Doran

[Gailmegan]

I went to my 10th and 15th. I am embarrassed to admit that each time I too was very happy with my life and wanted to show off to everyone. I was newly engaged at my 10th and glowingly pregnant at my 15th. My 20th is coming up and I was thinking about trying to lose a little weight before then, but it just so happens my in-laws will be in town and staying with us, so I probably won't go. Both experiences were nice to reconnect with old friends, but it was weird when the people who were really mean to me or ignored me in high school acted like I was their best buddy. Blech. And I do still keep in touch with the few who were really close, so no big deal if I can't make it. 25th will be soon enough. Can that be possible????

[OnTheBrink]

Went to the 10th, which was a colossal waste of time. The jocks are still jocks, the beauty queens are still thin, the brainiacs are working on their masters' and doctorates, the stoners are still stoned. And, for some idiotic reason, the Clique of the Powers That Be chose 60's music to be played for the class of 1984. Completely dumb.

I wasn't notified of my 20th, although I heard about it. It was going to be held a good 2 hours from the town the school was in, in October, for a horridly high price. No thanks.

[*anj*]

I went to my 15th and 20th. My 25th is next year and I have no desire to go. I did have fun at the ones I went to, but I just don't have any interest to go back again. I live out of state, my parents used to live there still, but they moved away a year ago. That means I'd have no one to watch the dk. I am in touch with my best friend from 6th grade almost daily, and I have casual contact with a few others. That's good enough for me.

I went to a very small school. There were only 98 of us in my graduating class, so I really did know most everyone. At the reunions I attended, it was fun to see what had become of several people. I guess I'm feeling like I know basically what happened to the ones I liked, and that's good enough for me.

Dh's 25th is this year and they're having a whole weekend's worth of activities. We went to his 20th, and I was pretty disgusted at the level of drinking and flirting that took place. There were a lot of townies who were still acting like they did back in the day. We hung out with the couple of friends whom dh has kept contact with, but we could do that at someone's house and not have to deal with watching the other stuff. He did get to see one guy he was hoping to run into, and that was great for him. But I have no desire to go to the 25th. Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent. :D

[*anj*]

Both experiences were nice to reconnect with old friends, but it was weird when the people who were really mean to me or ignored me in high school acted like I was their best buddy. Blech.

I know what you mean, but I take things like that as signs that people have actually matured. If I had been unkind to people in high school I know I'd want to show them I'd changed by being kind now, you know?

[*anj*]

Went to the 10th, which was a colossal waste of time. The jocks are still jocks, the beauty queens are still thin, the brainiacs are working on their masters' and doctorates, the stoners are still stoned.

There was a cool thing about mine. The girl who'd been the biggest jock (played just about every varsity sport, and did it well) had gained quite a lot of weight. But she came anyway. She had to know that everyone would remember her as "BG: jock extraordinaire" and that she was now overweight and clearly not a jock anymore. But she came, and she seemed comfortable with herself, and she was just a pleasure to be around. So I found that to be really refreshing, yk?

[Mekanamom]

Nope, not me. My 20th is next year.

My high school had some really great, fun graduating classes- but mine was not one of them. I really don't feel a need to go see anyone I haven't kept in touch with.

That said, one of my best friends for over 30 years is getting married and I get to be a bridesmaid!! Woo Hoo! I'm very much looking forward to that event! Way more fun and fulfilling than a HS reunion.

(I will be attending DH's HS reunion this year. He has some friends who really, really, really want him to go- so I have agreed be his date. Heh heh, oh yay. :001_rolleyes: We live in an area where everyone has a tech job. Conversation never goes far when people find out I stay home & homeschool, shear sheep, and trim horses' hooves. I'm used to it. ;))

[Gailmegan]

I know what you mean, but I take things like that as signs that people have actually matured. If I had been unkind to people in high school I know I'd want to show them I'd changed by being kind now, you know?

I did give them the benefit of the doubt and I treated them with kindness too, but I think if they had truly matured they would have also apologized, not just pretended that they had never treated me poorly.

[elegantlion]

I don't plan on going anytime soon. My 5th I was divorced and our class had free beer ( :001_huh: so class of 85!). At my 10th I was remarried and hated watching everyone in their same cliques. I had one good girlfriend and she didn't go. All my other friends were guys that I hadn't kept in touch with.

We didn't even have a 15th, and I totally skipped the 20th.

[Needleroozer]

I didn't go to my 10th, as I had a newborn who never let go of my booKs. I didn't go to my 20th, as it was ungodly expensive, and we were in the middle of househunting.
I am seriously thinking of going to the very informal 25th this summer. They are holding it at a beer garden at a local festival, so it could be fun. I am still good friends with several of my friends from high school, so it would be the other folks I would be seeing. To be honest, I really just want to sneak a peak at my high school boyfriend, lol. There is such a soft spot in my heart for him, I would like to see how he is doing.
The other reason I am considering going is that in the past, most of my friends were on the can't find them list, but many of them have been located, and I think many of them are coming.
I wish I could talk my dh into coming with me, but I don't think he would- he is on the lost and can't find them list at his schools.

[Mrs Mungo]

My hubby's 20th would be next year and mine is in 2 years. I'm sure he's probably interested in going to his, he went to a small military academy. I went to a big high school but I haven't lived anywhere near there since I got married (14 years ago). I haven't kept in touch with anyone at all.

[cricket1178]

I haven't gone to many of my class reunions. We had our 25th 2 years ago and I skipped it. I don't have a bad attitude, really, I just don't have a desire to attend. I am genuinely happy for the ones who seem to be doing well, genuinely sad for those who arn't. I wish them all well.

[Kate CA]

Unless I could pull off a Romy and Michelle, there is no way I even care about those knobs.

OK, I have to ask because I don't know what this is. What is it? LOL

[Kate CA]

My dh and I graduated the same year from the same school. So we always say that we see the most important person from our class every day!!



OK, that is just really sweet! :)

[Lorna in the boonies]

I've never gone to one, but I went to a different high school every year (dad was military) and never really felt a bond with any of my schools. Also, since I graduated from an overseas DoDDS school that has since closed down, a reunion hasn't exactly been a practical thing (they had one a few years ago, but it was one of those generic "this year and this year and this year, from this school and this school and this school" reunions, and it was a couple of days' drive away -- I had no interest).

Even if I had graduated stateside, though, and lived within driving distance, I probably wouldn't bother. I keep in touch with everyone I was interested in keeping in touch with. Dh's 20th is this year and he hasn't said anything about wanting to attend (which is good, because I have no desire to attend it!).

[Kate CA]

Life is funny.

Yes, indeed it is! And I have always felt that God has a mighty wonderful sense of humor. :)

[GothicGyrl]

Originally Posted by Gailmegan
Both experiences were nice to reconnect with old friends, but it was weird when the people who were really mean to me or ignored me in high school acted like I was their best buddy. Blech.

And this is exactly why I will never go. I would get arrested making up for lost "rear-end kicking" time. That is, my kicking their's for a change. :(

And Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion is a movie and one heck of a good one too. When I watch it, I can find all of my old high school "friends" in it and even pick myself out. I live vicariously through the movie, watching them pull things off I only dream of doing.

[Kate CA]

Thank you all so much! These were all so interesting and varied - just what I was hoping to see. :) I appreciate all the thoughts and funny comments. :)

[Jill, OK]

...I went to my 10th, and had a grand ol' time (my husband...not so much, lol, but I had to show him off, so he went ;-).

I'd love to be thinner, when/if I go, lol, but really, I'd just like to see what folks are up to. One of my best friends was a year ahead of me, and a couple were behind, but I did have some good buddies in my class that I just fell out of touch with.

All that said, if there's something that comes up and keeps me from it...it won't be a big deal. I can't imagine paying close to 200 Benjamins for the privilege. :eek:

[Mekanamom]

And Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion is a movie and one heck of a good one too. When I watch it, I can find all of my old high school "friends" in it and even pick myself out. I live vicariously through the movie, watching them pull things off I only dream of doing.

LOL- it is a great movie. My 2 best friends from HS and I went off on a trip together and watched that movie instead of going to our 10th reunion. It was a blast.

[Kate CA]

I can't imagine paying close to 200 Benjamins for the privilege. :eek:

Yes, it would honestly take a lot for me to pay that much to see a bunch of people I am not really sure I actually want to see! LOL :)

[Kay in Cal]

I've never been... my best friends were either a year younger than me or a year older than me. I can vaguely remember a few people from my year, but not enough to actually want to see them! I'm still in touch (rarely) with my best friend from high school, and she's the only one I'd want to hang out with.

Now, college friends we still see pretty frequently (dh and I went to college together), so we don't go to those reunions either--we are still in touch with all the friends we'd want to see.

[susie in tx]

My husband goes to every reunion they have. He loves them. I went with him to his 10th and we both actually had fun.

Last year was my 20th. I wouldn't usually think of going, but I was grieving the loss of my fil and his wife and was making weird decisions. Plus, my dh told me that my classmates would have changed.

Well, he was wrong. My classmates hadn't changed and we had an awful time. I don't plan to give those people my time ever again.

[Wendy In KS]

But we're kind of a weird story. We were high school sweethearts from differents high schools. We starting dating mid way through sophmore year. At the end of our junior year, we found out we were expecting. We both finished high school, but our senior years were definitely not "typical". We are both anxious to go back to our 10 year reunions this year. We now have been married almost nine years, and have 5 kids :D My MIL keeps telling us we're going to win some type of prize for most kids? :confused:

We are really just looking forward to catching up with some old casual friends, and seeing how many people haven't changed, and showing people how different we are (and that we've made it so far- nobody thought we would).

Side note: We went to totally different high schools- his was much more "ghetto" and mine was a rich, academic school (though both were public schools). It should be interesting to see how our different our reunions (and the attendees) will be.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I went to my 10th. Never again. People I thought were my friends in high school didn't talk to me. People who I thought were my friends in college didn't talk to me. Dh and I spent most of our time talking to spouses of fellow graduates who didn't have the time of day for us. I had more fun at dh's high school reunion, but he has no desire to go again either.

[Needleroozer]

...I went to my 10th, and had a grand ol' time (my husband...not so much, lol, but I had to show him off, so he went ;-).



I wish I could get mine to do that for me! He is just so very shy, and the thought of his own reunions is no fun, so why would he go to mine, where he knew even less folks? That's his logic, not mine, but if I do go this year, I will for sure take pictures along.

[HomeOnTheRanch]

I went to my 10th. DH couldn't go so it was just me with my mini photo album. There were a few people there I wanted to see, but most of friends from hs were locals who didn't bother going to the reunion because they figured they saw everyone around town. I spent the next few days tracking down those people! My 20th is this summer. I'm not going. I'll go to my 25th if DH can go with me. I'm not going stag again. That was uncomfortable. Some guy I barely knew in high school kept asking me to dance (sad, he was brain damaged in a car accident after hs, I thought he was drunk, but later someone told me what had happened to him) I don't dance, and there was no one to rescue me from that awkward situation. He finally found a few others to dance with.

[Tammy]

I wanted to go to my others....but I was either pregnant or nursing, LOL!

Tammy

[Robin Hood]

I have gone to every reunion; 10th, 20th & 30th. I didn't get what I thought I would out of going, but there is something about going back in time that gives you a little foresight into what is ahead or maybe even a boost to the desisions you've made about your life after you see where everybody has been and is going. It's not at all necessary, but it's interesting. At a 20th reunion, you can still expect lot of showing off.

Every reunion from my class began with a big attempt to do something grand and expensive. There must've been minimal response becasue it never turned out as grand as the original version for the planners. The 30th had been a plan to go on a cruise and ended up as a back yard garden party. The more simple the affair, the more intimate and fun it turned out. I expect the 40th to be free from most of the pretenses of grandness and and the most fun yet. That would not be the case had I not attended previous events.

I went to an all girl high school and there were only 69 in my graduating class. At the 30th it was decided that no spouses would attend. That meant no men. It was the most fun. As I see it, even at larger co-ed public school reunion, a spouse that did not usually take part in that time of life could potentially make the party not so fun because of the alumni being over concerned about him/her and not enjoy fully reuniting with other alumni. I have no desire to attend my dh reunions. As shy as I am, I would be sitting at a table all by myself trying to fit in and being most uncomfortable. He wants to show off his family, but beyond that, we'd have no fun, no connect. Dh and I were not married at the time of the 10th but we were at the 20th. Bless his heart, but because of my concern over his presence, it was less than it could've been and I fatigued of his jokes about being the outsider. He was just interested in being my peacock and that was over real quick.

I didn't read most of the responses, Kate, so if I misunderstood your question and gave a dumb answer, sorry.

[pixelroper]

a no go for me- I think the 20th is this year, can't remember if I was notified, prefer to stay loosely in touch with a few friends-

[readwithem]

I never went. We got married the same day as my 10th so I was otherwise occupied :) When my 20th rolled around, we were overseas. I don't know whether we had a 30th - maybe they gave up on me :)

[Tutor]

and get together with people I knew and would like to see again. I had friends in so many different grades that I wouldn't see them all if I just went to my year. And of the 575 kids in my grade, I would like to see about 25 who I have fallen out of touch with and think about periodically wondering how their lives have turned out and where they are now.

[gandpsmommy]

I just can't really think of anyone I particularly care about seeing again, except for my twin sister, who I see regularly. There are a few people I would happily chat with if I happened to see them somewhere, but no one that I would really go out of my way to arrange to see.

[justme]

I went to my 10th and 20th,but now I'm done. At the 20th, my group that keeps in touch went to dinner the night before and had a great time. The reunion itself was a letdown because we had done all our serious catching up the night before,so the excitement wore off quickly. Then we were left with all the other people who either had no idea who we were and no interest in finding out. It was sickening to watch the same cliques and immature behavior. The affair was pretty cheesy as well- at a bar that some guy from our class owns with overpriced, bland food. They didn't even have a cake or dessert! There were several people that I haven't kept in touch with and did want to talk to at the reunion, but they never showed. In short,the group I keep in touch with will just do our own reunion every once in a while from now on.

[mcconnellboys]

Not I, said the dog......

Regena

[Rosie_0801]

Our tech school amalgamated with the high school when I was in year nine, which meant we had two very different cultures now packed into the same school. Our reunion was a cocktail party, and I can be very certain that no one I would want to see would show up to a cocktail party. We're just not the type! I don't mind running into the guys I went to school with, but it becomes a big competition with the girls. My partner earns more than your partner, my degree is better than your degree, I've travelled the entire world and you haven't, my kids are at a better school than your kids, oh you're only defacto and not really married etc. The guys, on the other hand, are genuinely happy to hear that you're working towards whatever goal you have, however small it is.
No cocktail parties for me!
Rosie- the defacto person who hasn't travelled (yet) and "only" has an arts degree. However, my baby is better looking than theirs ;)

[*anj*]

My partner earns more than your partner, my degree is better than your degree, I've travelled the entire world and you haven't, my kids are at a better school than your kids, oh you're only defacto and not really married etc. The guys, on the other hand, are genuinely happy to hear that you're working towards whatever goal you have, however small it is.

If that were my experience I'd skip it too. I am actually kind of surprised at the number of people who say they went back to a reunion (beyond the 10th one) and found that level of snobbery. I have to say that I never felt that way at mine. Maybe because we were from such a small town, I don't know. But we just all really seemed to enjoy chatting and getting caught up. We compared lives and showed pictures of kids and all, but it definitely wasn't in an I'm-better-than-you way.

I didn't love high school, but it wasn't that bad for me either.

Of course, if the girl who ended up marrying one of our teachers showed up, that might change things...we were all pretty creeped out by that!

[Cricket]

I went to my 10th and my 20th is next year. My family still lives within decent driving distance of where I grew up so that makes it easier. I had fun at my 10th and I think my 20th will be fun. I hope I get to go. It was fun to see how people had changed (or not changed!) and to catch up on old friends. I have fond memories of high school. I went back to my hometown over Christmas and my sister and I walked around our old high school. It seemed so small. :001_smile:

[susie in tx]

If that were my experience I'd skip it too. I am actually kind of surprised at the number of people who say they went back to a reunion (beyond the 10th one) and found that level of snobbery. I have to say that I never felt that way at mine. Maybe because we were from such a small town, I don't know. But we just all really seemed to enjoy chatting and getting caught up. We compared lives and showed pictures of kids and all, but it definitely wasn't in an I'm-better-than-you way.


Your experience is most of what I had heard before I went to mine. I was hopeful that my trip back to my reunion was going to be more mature than what it really was. It was truly an amazing thing. I could not believe how the cliques were still alive and kicking. I went to a large school, but it seemed that those who went to the reunion spent a lot of time together and were definitely not interested in seeing anyone else. I felt shunned, similar to how I'd felt in high school.

My step mil and fil went to their high school reunions every year. They died last spring and I think my desire to go was influenced by how I thought they would have encouraged me. I'm sorry that I was disappointed.