Should I attend my 40th High School Reunion???

[Raven]

I know, I know, some of you baby DU'ers can't believe that someone could be 40 years out of high school and still be alive, but it happens!

I went to my 10th year Reunion and was so turned off that I never went to another. The women who attended the 10th were all very smug about the fact that they had had married well, had 2.3 children, drove station wagons (the SUV in those days), lived in affulent suburbs and didn't have to work. All they talked about was money. I wonder what difference the passing of 30 years has made!

I had one very good friend in high school who dropped off the face of the earth. This was a girl who was the first to try everything... booze, sex, drugs...all of it, she had done it! The last time I saw her I was sitting at a red light and this big black hearse pulls up next to me. I look over and spot her with a bunch of long-haird hippie guys, grinning and waving at me. Now I find out that she has been living in a ashram for the past 30 years...I think it might be worth going to the reunion just to talk to her!

Anyway, if I go I know I'll hate it...if I don't, I'll always wonder.

[loftycity]

1. Go for it.

From a non baby DU'er. I'd go just to find your ashram friend! That would be great to meet up with her. Who cares about the station wagon crowd--they never change.

[Spinzonner]

2. Why would you hate it

I've been to all except the first (5 year - was in the military) of my HS reunions and the next one is also a 40-year BTW, I doubt it's the 40TH unless you have them very often or you're all about 200+ years old. I've been involved in the organizing a few times, including the last one.

I'm not female so can't sympathize or even understand too much the catiness aspect. But do you really care what these people think anymore - if you ever did ?

If there are people you want to see coming - or are just curious - go. What is there to lose ?

[Raven]

3. Hi and welcome to DU!

You're right, I guess it's my 8th reunion. And you are also right that I don't care what these people (or most people) think... I guess it's sad that as a class we never stayed in touch, but then, who knows, people change...life changes them.

[Spinzonner]

4. On a related matter

my current email signature is:

"True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country."
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

[loftycity]

5. Thats great!

[SOteric]

6. My experience with my reunion

of my graduating class at prep school was almost opposite yours. I imagined that the people I didn't like in school would be little changed. They'd actually evolved a bit as human beings. Most, anyway.

I'll grant, it wasn't a 40 year reunion. I think 40 years may have provided some of those people with more life experiences. They may be less obsessed by money, status and themselves. If not, brag shamelessly about your kid. He's a heck of an accomplishment. His mother should be proud.

[VelmaD]

7. Gotta agree with Jules on this one...

unless one of your classmates has a kid working for UNICEF helping feed starving kids in Africa...I think you'll win the "my kid's better than your kid" contest. :)

[cmd]

8. No advice to give you

I'm still boycotting my reunions. Number 40 was in 2001. I don't believe I have missed anything.

[Kat45]

9. I've found that the people changed at later reunions

I went to all my reunions, and at the earlier ones, the cliques were still in force and people's high school insecurities were still evident. Then by the 20th or 25th, people were all pretty friendly with each other no matter what their status in high school. I just attended my 30th last year, and I had a blast! I was so surprised; I couldn't believe what a good time I had. Don't think I ever had half as good a time when I was actually in high school!

That would be great to see your friend. Do you think she'll go? If she 'dropped off the face of the earth', would that make her the type of person who doesn't bother with reunions? On the other hand, a number of folks showed up at my 30th who had never attended a reunion before.