Hmmm, not sure if I should go to my 10 year HS reunion. Any experiences with these?

[fujiyama]

It's coming up in two months. I don't mind going, but it's $55 a person and I'd be going by myself....just to see a bunch of people I feel have come farther than me with their spouses and kids and successful lives...

Anyone else have any experiences with these? Is it worth going to? I feel like I've got in touch with many already on facebook so maybe it wouldn't really serve a purpose....

[Mythsaje]

1. If you don't want to, don't go...

I've missed more of mine than I can count.

One day, maybe... But I doubt anyone would remember me, so why bother?

[Broken_Hero]

2. Well,

if you don't think its worthwhile to go, then stay at home and relax. I didn't go to my 10yr reunion either, there was barely a handful of classmates I'd like to see/visit with again, but my desire to do so was outweighed by my laziness and general lack of energy. :)

[kentauros]

3. Everyone's experience is different.

I went to the 10-year reunion and was really bored with pretty much all of them. I was single at the time, no children (still don't have the latter) and basically couldn't relate anymore to any of them save one, and he was single, too.

This is all likely due to the fact that I had more friends older and younger than I in high school and didn't relate to most of those in my level even then.

These days, my friends are those I've met through work, meetup groups and so on. I can only think of one friend from high school, two years younger that I even keep semi-contact with.

But if you think being in touch with them online is good enough, then it is. If it's important, just get one of them to take pics of everyone and share them with you :)

[Broken_Hero]

4. I know what you mean

when you talk about having friends older/younger than you in HS. A majority of my friends were a grade lower than myself, now if I could go to their reunion well, that would be a different story. In my class, I only had one friend, but he was a keeper, still in contact with him.

[GaYellowDawg]

5. I didn't have a bad experience.

The phrase I used was "strangers with familiar faces," although that's not entirely accurate. Some people really change. Some people really don't. If there are people who you'd like to see in person, go and have a good time with them. The experiences really were pretty broad. One person had 4 kids. 4 blond boys, right in a row. They looked like those Russian stacking dolls.

By the way, I understand the whole single thing. I'm 41 and still single. The only thing I can tell you is that I believe that running into the right person at the right time is a matter of random chance, and keep your head up. And if it helps, we had a dance the second day of the reunion, and if my experience was any indication, there will be enough divorcees to happily keep your dance card full. You may find yourself looked at as a catch.

[TheKentuckian]

6. Mine was fun and I almost hooked up with a chick I always wanted and got a lil CB treatment

Still, I had a good time, hung out with people I used not to, caught up with a few people, and partied like the ole days a bit.

[murielm99]

7. I didn't go until my 25th.

It was great fun. I think everyone had grown past the stage where they had to compete over financial success, spouses, children and jobs.

I went to the 35th and had an equally good time.

I was not going to go to the 40th, for fairly shallow reasons. Someone called me and insisted that I go. I went. It was great.

I was not part of the popular crowd or any of that crap in high school. I did have friends, but they were all across the board, not just one type. I was friendly to everyone, and tried to speak to everyone. Some of the more wary attendees may have appreciated that. Try that, if you can. It worked for me.

[raccoon]

8. Don't go, I don't think it'd be worth $55. Never been to any of mine. nt

[HopeHoops]

9. I expected it to be like that, but I was wrong.

Despite an e-mail list (and spreadsheet) that contained damn near everyone in the class, almost everyone who showed up was a member of the band or chorus - the very people I hung out with in high school. There were very few of the shallow sorts with more ego than brains, and the ones that showed up had obviously matured. We had a really great time.

[clixtox]

10. Berkeley High '64! 45th anniversary reunion in Sept.

Our class didn't have any reunions until 25 years ago, 20 years after we graduated, and it was wonderful to see many folks for the first time in decades.

We have continued to have reunions every 5 years since.

The class was almost 1000 graduates so there is a large pool of attendees with some amazing stories.

[Ex Lurker]

11. I know several people who've gone to their 30th this summer

and all have had a blast, even the ones who had a not so great time in HS. I think by that point you're not trying to impress anybody any more, you've made peace with whatever issues you had during your adolescence, and you just go have a good time.

[Auggie]

12. Flew across country for my 20th

At 10 most people are still the same as you remember from graduation, but at 20 you get to see how people have evolved. It was fascinating.

I was divorced too. Didn't care. I've never used marital/family status as a gauge for happiness. Perhaps in 10 years you will feel the same way.

[struggle4progress]

13. I have lots of experience not going to them. I didn't go to my 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th, or

35th. If there were any others, I didn't go to them either. And I had blast! YMMV

[PassingFair]

14. I went to my 20th....

I eschewed the "in crowd" in high school.

What I experienced:

All of the women looked FABULOUS.

The men had not held up nearly
so well.

[seemunkee]

15. Went to my 10th and had fun

Haven't been to any since then. The people I would want to see I'm still in contact with anyway.

[begin_within]

16. I think it depends on how close you were to those people then, and whether you feel close now.

I've never gone to any of my reunions, mainly because I didn't really form any lasting friendships in high school or college. My 30th was last year and I felt like, well if I haven't had any contact with any of these people in 30 years, they would basically be strangers to me, and what would we even talk about? So for me they would be a waste of time. However, my sister has gone to a couple of her reunions, the 10th and 20th. She had a great time at both, and I think it's because she had more social contact in high school and formed better relationships - in fact she was even married to one of her classmates for a couple of years after graduating. She skipped her 30th because she said she's too fat now and doesn't want them to see her now. But I have not gone to any reunions. However, one of my classmates from high school did go to all of them, and also got in touch with me through Classmates.com and we did get together for lunch last fall. We had a great time talking about everything and it was the first time he and I had seen each other for 31 years. We had been in some of the same classes throughout junior high school and high school, but weren't really friends outside of school. And we did not keep in touch for 30 years so I guess it wasn't really a friendship. Still it was fun to see him again and catch up on everything. Although we have had almost no contact since that lunch date, so...

[mnhtnbb]

17. I went to my 10th, 20th skipped the 30th and will go to 40th in September.

I only went to the high school from which I graduated for two years, plus I commuted from
another school district. I never hung out with people on the weekend or summers.

I did room with one friend first year in college. I've stayed in touch with only a couple of people
over the years, but recently connected with some others on Facebook.

It all depends on what you want out of it. If you'd like to find out how people have changed, or
you've changed and would like to connect with some people you haven't seen, then go.

If you don't feel your life has been successful, why not? Are there choices you've made
that you would change? Are there things you haven't done you wished you had--or alternatively
things you did you wish you didn't?

Reassessing your life periodically to see whether you've been living according to your goals,
drifting, getting off course, is a good thing, particularly if you are the kind of person
who wants to "do" something with your life. Try not to measure yourself in comparison to others; measure
yourself according to your own yardstick.

Good luck.

:hug: