Tuesday, April 6, 2010

To reunion or not to reunion, that is the question

I was a very shy and anonymous teenager. I did not play any sports, instead I took pictures of athletes for the school paper. I can't even describe how much happier I felt isolated in the darkroom than with my peers. I always felt that everyone was smarter and more attractive than me, with a much brighter future. If you gave me a million dollars to safely travel back in time to high school, I would think about the offer for a loooooong time and ultimately, I might just turn it down.

I had friends. I have sadly lost touch with them and even sadder, my very best friend from high school died in a car accident about four years after we graduated. I know that there are people from high school I'd like to see, they just did not necessarily graduate the same year as me. My graduating class was almost 700 strong (I went to an enormous suburban sprawl school) and my closest friends did not graduate with me. Some graduated from the other school across the campus (there were two schools on our campus at that time and everyone had classes in both buildings) and some graduated other years. All I really remember about graduation is that The Smiths were performing that night and my parents wouldn't let me go because of my/their graduation party.

The date, location, and cost for my 25th reunion have just been announced. The cost is reasonable - $35. I know where it is. The date is an unknown for me yet as a certain British pop band has yet to release their US tour dates. If the date is clear, I suppose I could go. But, just thinking about it makes my stomach churn. While I am most certainly no longer shy and anonymous, I just can't think of a smashing reason to attend. First, I don't really know any of the people who have taken on the task of planning this reunion. We personally have no high school memories to share and to look back upon fondly. They are nice enough people who felt motivated to plan a huge party. Second, I don't see too many familiar faces on the Facebook group for my class. So, I don't know the planners and I don't know the people who currently know about this event. That just sounds like a recipe for a long night, too much wine, and way too many Michael Jackson songs.

Have any of you attended a reunion? How did it go? Give me a good reason to go, if there isn't a Squeeze concert competing against it (oh, the reunion will lose to the concert, hands down).

4 comments:

Family Man said...

Hi Toni,

We just had our 40th high school reunion and I didn't attend. I've actually never been to one. I was amazed at the size of you class. My graduating class was 40. So we all knew each other. If I ever would go to one it would be to see one of my best friends from back then, but he lives in town and we see each other from time to time. I don't think he's ever been to a reunion either.

Reunions are very funny in a way. Some people look forward to them and other don't. If you decide to go, I hope you have fun and if not that's good too.

Take care,

FM

Teach313 said...

I would rather be torn to pieces and devoured by wild boars than attend a reunion of my God-awful High school class. I didn't want to spend time with those people then, but the law forced me to. Why should 30 or 35 years make a difference? My advice, Toni, is to find the date of the reunion and then spend the night at home listening to Squeeze and playing with the kid. (But please, have him wear some ear protection as Squeeze is really lousy.)

Anonymous said...

Toni, I came close once, but couldn't make myself go. I'm not a person who looks back fondly at my high school years. Except for music, Spanish, and one one English teacher, I was miserable in high school.

However, I don't have to think about the reunions. My parents sued one of the bmoc's in my class who became a doctor. That got me struck off the reunion list permanently!

-Kidspeak

Teacher Toni said...

Thanks everyone! Except teach who thinks Squeeze is lousy - pheewy on you :)