So I got some emails regarding my high school reunions this week. Wait, do I tell you what number? Oy I don’t really care but sometimes these younger little cretins will tune you out if you say you are “older”. Well, hey ya’ little douchecopters it’s my 30th high school reunion and I f-in’ rock!
Did I tell you I got a new phone and I still can’t figure the fucking thing out? It keeps dinging at me. Stop it!
Anyway, oh yea 30 years. Oh and why did I say “reunions” you might ask? Well, I was born and raised in one place and then I moved to another place 2 hours away when I was a junior in high school. Really incredibly crappy time to move, took me about 20 years to get over. Seriously, I’m not kidding.
But anyway I go to the reunion of the high school I actually graduated from and then I go to the reunion of the place that is really my home. The place I call home is where I was born, my 5 brothers and sisters were born and my Dad was born and my Dad’s parents were born. Anybody before that came from Ireland. So there was a lot of tradition there. The other place I was a fish out of water but still made some good friends.
The last several reunions I went to both reunions. This year, wouldn’t you know it both are on the same weekend. I think I’ll probably go to the place I was born reunion.
But a lot of you are probably saying, “HS reunion, blech I’d never go to mine I hated high school”. Sorry but you people kind of bug me as those “sour grapes” types. Someone had to say it and I finally did. I know, so much in this world is “not cool” and it’s really cool to shun things. But honestly, I had some of the best times of my life at reunions.
So you may have been picked on in high school or not one of the cool ones, what better way to say “in your face, you didn’t take me down, I’m still here and I make a lot of money now, so suck it”. Or something to that effect… than to go to your reunion and look ‘em in the eye and smile?
I’m not saying high school was the best time of my life… because college was. But it’s not about high school per say, it’s about your childhood. That’s why I feel so much more comfortable at the place I grew up because those were people, some of which I have known from pre-school. Who else can you laugh with about the kid in 1st grade who always tucked his shirt into his underpants which showed out his pants and had a strange attraction to the nuns at school?
It’s familiar, it’s home. It’s Mom and Dad, and the street where you lived, and the stoops you sat on, and the corner store. It’s not about the dickhead named “Meat” that used to stuff you in a locker. It’s not about Denise who told everyone you were a slut. Remember the good childhood pals you had. Also, I almost guarantee you will befriend Meat and Denise at the reunion..
People change. Everyone is an asshole as a teenager. Even my own kids. Ok, not really kids, sorry. But they can do jerky things at times. And every time I went to a reunion the kids who were assholes in high school either A.) Don’t show up because they are miserable people to begin with and think it’s stupid or they are embarrassed because they don’t look like they did in high school (i.e. weight gain or hair loss). B.) They show up and they are really nice to you and say they are sorry for being an asshole in high school or C.) Show up and just kind of stick to the other idiots they hung with in high school. They aren’t mean to anyone but they are embarrassed about what a putz they were in high school. They had enough guts to show up but not quite enough to apologize. And that’s ok.
I’ve never once encountered someone being a jerk at a high school reunion. Nor has anyone I’ve ever known. It’s actually always been kind of a… healing process. I don’t know if that’s the right term. You just kind of get to clear up some stuff in your head. You get apologies. You find out what really happened on prom night. You find out why Joey was really kicked off the football team. You find out that Linda really broke up with you not because she didn’t like you but because her Mother made her because Mom was an alcoholic and getting a divorce and if she couldn’t be happy, no one could. (seriously, this happened) It’s like an episode of “Unsolved Mysteries”. And if you’re single you can always hook up with an old flame (that is single) or someone you always wanted to hook up with (that is single). Did that. That was awesome.
Yea, I know we all have Facebook now and that connects you to people but just like internet dating people are COMPLETELY different in person… and when alcohol is involved. I know, my 20th reunion I ended up in a hot tub in a t-shirt and underwear with a bunch of other classmates…
Another added bonus… great business contacts! Seriously, I’ve known so many people who made connections, got new business, found new jobs, or found funding for a project. It’s a great networking opportunity.
So before you poo-poo the high school reunion again, just think about it… get the stick out of your ass and see it as a positive experience. :)
For me high school was a blast. I have to admit I haven’t been to any of my reunions…mainly because the people I’d want to see from my class, I’ve stayed in touch with. I hung out with mainly older kids and a couple younger ones so they are from different classes…but if they end up in town and/or available, we get together. Hmm…maybe I should make it to one someday. I know I’d have fun because I always do but I don’t make time for social events often. I am so middle of the road white bread, huh?
You are a regular Wonder Bread. I think you’d have fun.
High school was interesting. Like you I moved in Grade 10 to a school over 800 miles away from where I spent the first 10 years. Big culture shock but interestingly, I have one close friend that I still stay in contact with from the last two years and none from the first 10. I wasn’t able to get to my 25th reunion due to work issues and now if they ask I could make it to my 45th this year!
Nelson
Well, I’m glad it all worked out for you!
I have considered going to a reunion in the past but really it has never been a must do for me. My wife and I have lived in the town we grew up in for the entirety of our marriage (going on 21 years this year) so the nostalgia thing isn’t as big a deal.
I left school completely when I turned 16 (at least the one here). I graduated high school while I was in the Marines. The people I knew in the Marines are ones I would like to catch up with but they are scattered to the four winds at this point.
Oddly I do keep in touch with a friend I went to culinary school with. He has moved all the way across the country to Seattle though. Of course he continues to try and convince my wife and I to move out there.
That’s a good point about the nostalgia factor. Often it is the people that live in the town that don’t show up. Yea, for those of us that live far away it’s a nice homecoming.
My 20th reunion is fast-approaching and I have no desire to go. None. Whatsoever. Isn’t that what Facebook is for? Why would I want to see those people in person
haha, that’s your prerogative.
I personally loved high school and I couldn’t be more excited for my first high school reunion in a few years! It’s amazing to see how people change and where their lives have taken them, I haven’t seen anyone from my high school since I graduated because my parents moved 1500 miles away before I started my Freshman year of college and I went to school out of state so it will be quite the experience for me!
Awww, you’ll have fun. It can be real exciting.
“Douchecopters” Love it. I haven’t been to any of my high school reunions yet (Mostly because the first one–the big five year–is only this year) but I got dragged along to my dad and his friend Leslie’s reunion at a dive bar–Casey’s–this past winter. Okay, let me back up and explain it really wasn’t my dad’s. My dad grew up in an area called Shaler, but he went to Catholic school rather than Shaler’s public schools. It was a Shaler reunion but that wasn’t going to stop my dad so we all got hoarded into the car and driven to Casey’s. Now mind you, it was at least the 30th reunion–Les and my dad both being around 50–and the other three of us were all under the age of 30. I had an absolute blast. So I totally crashed the reunion but just imaging the whole scene 30 years from now and me in my father’s shoes was quite fantastic. I mean I swear some of the women had the same hair styles they did back in the late 70s and you could totally tell who was meeting up with old flames. I am greatly looking forward to my own.
What a hoot! I actually went to my sister’s 40th reunion with her (she’s 16 years older than me). She lives across the country and I live a couple hours from our old hometown so she made me go because she hadn’t been to one yet. It was pretty funny.
I agree! The people who were the “hot-shot, asshole” types either won’t show up or will be completely different people and restore your faith in humanity. I will always attend reunions simply because those are the people you grew up with, don’t you want to see what they’re like now? Its fun, interesting and exciting. And hopefully it makes you feel good about where you are in your life.
Yay Kelly! However, I think you and I are in the minority here. lol
You know, with the technology we have today is there really a reason for a highschool reunion? You can connect with your old classmates any time you want. I do think the pressure of class reunions are allievated with the invention of Myspace, Facebook, etc. People know what you are up to and how you have “matured” over the years. It’s not the big secret of “I wonder what he looks like now”
Yea, you have a point but I still like old fashioned connecting with people.
I don’t go because I didn’t graduate from a traditional high school. Took my GED early and got out, left at 15. I still keep in contact with some people I went to school with from Kindergarten, but because I didn’t graduate I am on no lists. I am okay with that actually I got out for a reason.
Well, everyone has their reasons, I’m not begrudging anyone that. I just know some people that have a real chip and it’s kind of a shame.
We don’t really do reunions over here. I have to admit. I walked out of my school 30 years ago and never looked anybody up since.
You were one of the popular kids I think.. No wonder you enjoy going back to those days. You were probably every boys fantasy or something like that. Women are at their peak in power during high school and college .
Nope, I wouldn’t say I was one of the popular kids. I mean I was maybe associated with them but I had friends in every group, I was just kind of “every man’s friend”. And I started to become a punk at the time so some guys thought I was a little weird. I certainly don’t think I was anybody’s fantasy. I just always made the best of everything. Still try to.