Do you attend your high school reunions? So far, I only went to the tenth. It was fun. But since then, no. Next year will be our 50th. I have maintained that I have zero interest in going. I am in touch with a handful of classmates. Others…oh my gosh, I look at my yearbook and while their faces are familiar, that’s it. I think I would be embarrassed to attend and have zero memories of people. It would be like “Oh, hello”! Then…nothing. I would feel so embarrassed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure they have largely forgotten me as well. I spent my high school years working hard to get away from that town and a lot of the people there. Sometimes I think I really didn’t have both feet on the ground there as I knew I was never staying or returning.
And then of course there is the political quagmire these days.
I only went to my 10th. I enjoyed high school but haven’t bothered to go to any more reunions. I can’t remember people and not to sound terrible, but if I didn’t keep up with them why would I bother going to a reunion. Maybe if I lived in town I’d go but I skipped my 30th. Maybe I’ll make my 50th.
I’ve attended several and It’s always fun. I went to a very small private school (only 23 in my graduating class) so reU’s are done with other classes (I’m in the 1970-1975 group.) We have them over Alum weekend so even if it’s not a special one the 70’s-75’s have a get to together one night over the weekend. Other class groups do the same thing.
Oh my. I’m the opposite.
I stayed in touch with quite a few of my HS friends, and I’m the one who spent two years tracking people down to organize our 50th. I and a small committee found all but 19 of our 250 classmates, and I collected biographies of all those (about 70%) who chose to share one. It was a fabulous night – there were some “reconnections” that resulted in a few romances, believe it or not! It was awesome.
Just a few weeks ago I attended DH’s 50th reunion, and even I – not a classmate – enjoyed it very much. DH reconnected with a few old friends and we made some connections for when we travel to another state. Very enjoyable and a lot of fun.
This summer I went to the 50th HS reunion of the class before mine (I had lots of friends in that class). Next summer is my reunion…I’m very much looking forward to it.
Like @VeryHappy I keep in touch with enough folks.
The nice thing is…all those high school cliques, and groups are gone. Everyone is so nice, and there for the fun.
My class had over 1000 kids…and it’s just nice to see those who attend.
I had one of those classes (and it was small <200) that had huge school spirit and everyone was just “nice” to each other all during our years together - jocks, nerds, counter-cultures and the band kids, We just all got along. We have reunions every 5 years and a few times we’ve invited the class above and below because they just can’t seem to get it together to have a reunion. We’re lost a few people now along the line and that is always sad but in general I think reunions are darn fun. We mix it up and have had low key, casual pig roasts and “fancy” ones at the country club…doesn’t seem to matter one way or the other for turn-out. I think I’ve been on the committee almost every reunion so get to see where everyone lives or lived through the years. It’s really funny because I didn’t really “like” high school and got voted class citizen when I would have much preferred to be the girl you’d most like to be stranded on a deserted island with, and I certainly "participated in all kinds of things according to those old yearbook pictures. Funny how our memories can differ from the realities. These days we tend to reminisce about the “dates” we brought to the 5 year reunion. That is a hoot to recall that reunion. I feel sorry for the kids because they don’t seem to do reunions much anymore or at least my two oldest have not gone to one. I just had my 40th college reunion…now those are getting to be tough woah. My high school classmates look alot younger and more active way more active than my college cohort.
A firm no for me.
I went to our 10th. That was enough awkwardness for me! Haven’t kept in touch with hardly anyone, wouldn’t recognize most. I am on a high school FB page and it mostly confirms that that world seems very far away and many of them seem not people I would probably interact with in real life outside a reunion.
Also, I’m introverted and a class reunion sounds like an introvert nightmare!!!
We’ve been to my reunion last year and husband’s this year and enjoyed both. Agree, most very nice and just seemed to want to reconnect. We both grew up from childhood the entire time in the same city (but different schools) but moved away . Great to go home again. Maybe it would be different if you have moved around a lot growing up or had a particularly bad high school experience ? Just wondering.
I went to my 20th. What a blast! I was the shy wallflower in high school. I changed a lot in 20 years. Enjoyed myself immensely and danced with the former quarterback.
The other quarterback, who went on to play pro baseball on a World Series championship team, hung out by himself at the reunion and was largely ignored. Bwa ha ha.
That sounds sad that a pro baseball guy would be ignored. H had a classmate that was an NFL kicker. He came to an earlier reunion and blended in just fine.
I went to my 50th. Week ago. Some good, some bad. I was hoping to spend time with my best friend from childhood, but she had to work. A meet up Friday night, but nothing planned for Saturday. I met someone and we went to,local mall to,shop, for the longest time I’ve ever spent in a mall. I wished there had been a tour of local,area, which I haven’t seen since I was a kid and is beautiful. No one at breakfast or in the gym. It was nice to see some people at the pRty, but not enough time to,really connect.
So, I’m glad I went, but wished for more.
Looking back, I wish I had gathered other phila. Folks for a get together Saturday
@sevmom, let’s just say the guy was not the nicest person around…
I hate to say it, but nearly everyone I want to talk to is on Facebook and I am up to date on their lives. But if I lived nearby, I’d go anyway. But won’t travel for it.
I’m with @VeryHappy and @momofthreeboys!
We had a tight-knit class of almost 600. (A lot bigger than Mayberry!) We’ve lost many friends given the large drug culture of our days, but those who show are great!
We have a Facebook page and a web page. I’ve helped to plan several reunions. It is a lot of work but rewarding.
Our class had a nice mix of every culture and color you could imagine with every jock, princess, science pro, everyone on all of the teams and activity boards.
I like that we still act like idiots! We play board games and have every kind of contest! We rent inflatable bubble balls do a “soccer” game at a park or beach.
We also had a relay whereby “Mustangs” were created from pool noodles (complete with little cowboy hats). The rules were: there were no rules. Classmates had to hold one drink in their hand and use the other hand to ride the “horse”. Sample toys are on this web site:
http://i.pinimg.com/600x/09/b7/56/09b7567419644b5a1133098a342cd892.jpg (I hope this shows up!)
The spouses don’t feel left out and my husband actually felt better at my reunion than his! He recognizes people from my previous reunions and Facebook. He’s made some business connections with a couple of my classmates.
People can’t wait for the next one! We always wear name badges because everyone looks so different!
I went to my 45th high school reunion—first time I attended a reunion since I graduated. I had lost touch with all of my high school friends. One of the reunion organizers found me on Facebook and as a result I connected with a few old friends before the reunion. A group of us (6 people) who lived out of town rented a house for the weekend. I enjoyed staying with the group as well as the reunion dinner. It was a fun weekend.
I found it easy to chat with the folks who had been my hs friends. I also interacted with folks I didn’t know very well, but most people gravitated to those they had known. Four of our teachers came to the reunion, including my favorite English lit teacher who introduced me to some of my all time favorite authors.
I heard lots of interesting life stories. My high school boyfriend who played Big 10 football and was recruited by the NFL (he was injured after his first year) became a missionary. Another friend married the CEO of the publishing company where she worked—later someone told me they had created a charitable foundation to the tune of $21 million!
That being said—not sure I will go to another reunion. I have kept in touch with a few of the friends with whom I reconnected and don’t feel the need to stay connected with others.
I have been to none for myself but went to 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th for my husband. My mom moved us in the middle of my junior year of high school so I graduated with a bunch of strangers. I do like seeing former classmates on Facebook and how much we have all changed over the years but I don’t need to hang out with them, lol.
Went to my 20th and just went to my 40th. I agree with whoever said that everyone is just so nice now. I had very nice conversations with gals I never had ones with then. I live in town so it was easy for me to attend. However, I didn’t love those years, so wouldn’t have traveled to it. I’m amazed at how many did at this reunion…35% of the attendees.
I went to my 20th but had a conflict for my 30th. I had a very enjoyable time for my 20th and we now have an active class FB group.
@momofsenior1 …we also now have an active FB group. People were putting up all sorts of fun, old photos. I think it really helped everyone get excited for the reunion.
I’ve gone to every single one of my high school reunions except those for which I was out of the country. We were a class of about 80 in a private girls school. I’m a bit of an introvert and while I knew everyone’s names, there were plenty of girls I did not know well. Every time I go to a reunion, I regret I didn’t know more of them better - people are doing interesting things and everyone is nice. We always have a great time. It’s never awkward at all.
My college reunions are something else. I feel like it’s the first day freshman year nearly all the time. Who do you sit with? Why are there no familiar faces? Why do the men look so different jowly and bald, while the women by and large look more or less the same. (Though my sophomore year heart throb, is still cute as a button.) 
How did I not realized so many people were gay? Now I know why they were never interested in me! (I only knew two who were open about it back then.) One good thing our college does is ask who your friends are and puts you in a dorm together so it’s easier to find each other.