High School Reunions

[dlkksk8fan]

What is it about high school reunions that some people care to attend and others could care less?

I am the chairperson for my 30th high school reunion and I wouldn't want to wish the job on anyone. I started out with 9 committee members and one by one they slowly bit the dust and I have 4 left. The reunion is in 3 weeks, and I cannot wait for it to be over. Out of a class of 550 people only 61 tickets have been sold so far.

So how do most people on this board feel about attending their high school reunions?

[NJSk8Fan]

I didn't keep in touch with anyone from high school. I have never been to any of the reunions. Of course, our class clown was elected President of the class Senior year and it was a real joke. We never had a reunion until something like 13 years after graduation and by then I had just so moved on. I wasn't close with many DURING my school years to begin with, so the desire to attend a reunion was just never there.

[heyang]

A lot of people are busy or moved away from the area and don't have any remaining ties to the area.

I only attended jr and sr years at the high school I graduated from. I knew a lot of people from kindergarten, but had lost touch with them during the 4 yrs I attended Catholic school. Those interevening years were key and I didn't particularly like the people I shared classes with - they had become very 'affected'. I didn't really share classes with the people who had remained down to earth. I was actually closer to people in other grades (ie. friend from kindergarten and summer camp was a year behind me.). So, I had 0 interest in going to my high school reunion.

My cousin recently helped organize her 20th high school reunion. She had volunteered to help, but did most of the work. The chief organizer kept on screwing up and cutting the budget. My cousin really saved the day, but the 'chief' organizer didn't even thank yer. My cousin says she won't do it again, especially since very few of her friends attended.

I find that most people who truly enjoy attending their high school reunions are those who were 'big fishes' in the small pond (or at least were very active participants in various school activities and events) and who stayed in the immediate area. If you had a good high school experience and still have ties to the area, you're more inclined to attend if it's convenient.

[RealtorGal]

I have never attended a high school reunion. Most of my best friends were a year younger than I anyway, plus I live in California but my high school is in Massachusetts. I might consider going to a 30th reunion, however, which would be in 2 years, if they have one, just out of curiosity. I believe they always hold it over Thanksgiving weekend, figuring that lots of people come into town to celebrate with their families, but for me, that has always been totally inconvenient.

Now, college is different. I've never attended one (it's in Connecticut) but I do have every intention of going to my 25th, which is next year.

I have to admit that a big part of me didn't want to attend anything because I was kind of embarrassed to have gained so much weight over the years. Plus, I went to a very prestigious university and many of my classmates have gone on to some serious accomplishments. I'm not embarrassed about where I am in life or what I have done but in comparison, well, you get the drift. Anyhow, I no longer feel that way, but for years, that would have bothered me. I have come to realize that prestige and high achievement do not equate with personal happiness, and since I feel like a very happy and grateful human being these days, that's all that really matters to me.

As for the weight, now I weigh about what I did then and I'm in much better physical condition than I was even then thanks to the weight training and general exercise routine I maintain. I know that sounds really childish and petty but there you have it, that's how I felt.

Now, my business partner, on the other hand, cannot wait to attend her 30th high school reunion in October. She talks about it all the time! She has helped with the planning (even though it's in Rhode Island and she lives in California). She was a lot closer to those people than I ever was to my class.

[Ptichka]

I did not like my high school. I do not attend any reunions. A couple of friend I have from HS - I keep in touch with them anyway.

OTOH, I have very fond memories from my school back in Russia (left at age 12). If I were visiting during a reunion, I'd certainly go.

[dutchherder]

I've attended one high school reunion-- my ten year-- but my husband and I only stayed for about 45 minutes. The nice people were still nice, the jerks were still jerks, and the people I most wanted to see weren't there.

My dad's high school does a really cool thing. They have all of their reunions on homecoming weekend every year. They rent out this big hotel, and the years that are having "biggies"-- 10, 20, 40, etc. get the big party rooms. The off-years share the smaller party rooms. The coolest thing about that is that people can visit with people who were their friends, but weren't necessarily in their grade. Also, nearly everyone attends the homecoming parade and game-- which is good for the current high school kids. If my school were more like that, I'd be more likely to attend.

[Tonichelle]

I'm really excited to see if we have a 10 year reunion (in 6 years ha ha! ) and how it'll be. Most of us are still in the area, and those who aren't are ones I'm still in touch with. I was never the popular kid in high school, but our class didn't change much from elem. school (where I was a bit of a popular kid) so I know a whole lot of the class (we graduated just over 100, and I was not on the list as, well, everyone on here knows that whole story lol)

I had a great time my senior year of high school - save for the egomaniac for a principal who ruined it for a few of us, and not just those that weren't able to walk even though we met the standard - and over all I have great memories of most of my classmates... so I'm excited to see what they come up with.

[dlkksk8fan]

I find that most people who truly enjoy attending their high school reunions are those who were 'big fishes' in the small pond (or at least were very active participants in various school activities and events) and who stayed in the immediate area.

Since I grew up in a not so nice area close to Los Angeles about 99% of my classmates moved away. So no one is, except for a handful, still living there.

I wasn't a "big fish", but was fairly active in school. I have found this time around for our 30th that the "big fish" have no desire to attend. You would thinkg that those who were involved would want to come.

I have attended all my reunions, 5th,10th, 20th. I didn't care much for the first two, but the last one was pretty fun. We were older and cared about who was there. No longer did we want to impress anyone with how "successful" we were, but were just glad to share old stories about school and to talk about our families.

[antmanb]

I personally would never really want to attend an old high school reunion. The handful of people that i'm still close to I am still in contact with and anyone else i just don't really care to know about. The people who are in my life are dear to me and care about them alot. I struggle to make enough time for all of those people without wasting my time on people i didn't even make plans to keep in touch with after school.

Ant

[sillylionlove]

I didn't attend my high school reunion. Personally the people I keep in touch with from high school are the only people I would want to see anyway. Since I see them on a regular basis, I don't need a reunion.

As for my college reunion...I do go to those since most of us live close anyway and it's a whole weekend of fun and exciting things as compared to one over priced night at some bad country club or equally bad catering facility.

[Grgranny]

I have attended a number of reunions. I always have mixed feelings about them. Most of the "city" kids were snotty. They really looked down on us country kids. There were a few that were nice. I didn't get that as much at the reunions. I really debated last year when they had our 60th! My angel daughter would have taken me but I really hated for her to take off work, etc. Most of the ones that were my friends are gone. Now, I kind of wish I had gone but not a lot.
The last one was at one of my friends ranch and I think everyone really enjoyed it. They had catered meals. One of those was the "cream can" meals. They are really good. You put everything in a big cream can and cook it over a fire. That includes ears of corn, potatoes, probably sausage - which I hate - but is really good. I just try and not get any sausage. It's really a big come-down when you see how old THEY all are. When I went to the 50th, the first person I saw said "Wow, you still look really young" :chorus: There probably won't be many left the next time. Who knows, maybe even me!

[Jhar55]

I loved where i went to High School, but never went to a reuion and don't ever plan to. They really didn't want anything to do with me in high school so why would I want anything to do with them now. And I've moved away and so has all of my family so there's no reason to go back.

[JonnyCoop]

I was neutral about attending my 10-year, as I was a bit of a "nothing geek" in high school, but I ended up deciding to go at the last minute and am glad I did because I had an absolute BLAST. It was fascinating to see how everyone turned out, and I got an award for "Most Changed Since High School" [male division] and when I got it people were flipping through yearbooks frantically trying to figure out who I was and then said "Oh, my God!!" It was a great moment. The only disappointment was that there were 2 or 3 people who I was really looking forward to seeing that did not attend. As it turned out, these people DID attend the 20 year reunion a couple of years ago, but that one I did not go to for rather convoluted reasons, tho I wish I had gone.

As to the 25, that's up in the air. Depends on how I'm feeling and what my situation is at the time. At this point it would involve having to travel to a city (and state, for that matter) that I have no desire to ever set foot in again, but that may change in the next 3 years.

[dlkksk8fan]

This last Saturday was my 30th high school reunion. We had about 80 people and everything went well. I was exhausted, but people were having a good time.
The biggest change from my 20th is the number of people who are grandparents!

[Rachael]

We had a 5 year reunion 2 years ago but I did not go because I'm not ready to see anyone yet. I don't know if I will ever attend any of my reunions.