unofficial poll re: HS reunions

[drloretta]

My 30th HS reunion is next month. I was going to attend (for the first time ever), but I'm heading cross country 2 weeks later. Andplusalso, it's in the middle of the desert in July, "because we need to work around our kids' school vacations." Dude, most of us have kids in high school or older. My parents are attending my mom's 55th this fall, she's gone to almost all of them.

So, have you attended any of yours? How were they? Did they get better/worse over time? And were you ever involved in planning?

[Deleted]

There are just a handful of HS friends that I hear from. So no, I never bothered.

[TBM]

We went to a couple of ours and had a great time, even though we haven't kept in contact with anyone. I would really like to go to another some time.

We've missed the last couple, because they schedule them at stupid times, and because we had recently moved across country and were in the middle of reno for one of them. I am with you on not wanting to go to the desert in July. Our class had one in June last year, (in the desert), and that was enough to make us say no to traveling across the country...even if we could/should visit family there.

[seabitch]

I was involved in the planning for the early ones (5, 10, 20, etc). I was getting divorced during the planning period for our 25th so I stepped away and have not looked back at trying to get involved with the planning aspects. I did go to my 30th and it was nice to hang out and see so many people I had not talked to in years. With that being said, I try to keep in contact with those friendships that I value from high school, reunion or no reunion, I am talking to those people a lot more often than every 5 years or so.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Newp. Small kids during the fifth, XH disabled and struggling at 10th, buying house and grandchild custody litigation at 20th and nobody cared enough by the 30th.

[kittycatlove]

We didn't have a real 20th, whoever was supposed to plan it dropped the ball. They threw together a last minute meet-up, I went because it was local, but out of 600+ graduates, I think maybe 50 showed?

They did try to put together a bigger one for the 25th. It was also local and had a much better turnout, maybe about 150ish? It was fine, nothing too exciting. I'm FB friends with the people that I was close to in high school, though we don't really interact much outside of FB these days.

If they weren't local I'm not sure I would have gone.

[mrsukyankee]

I went to our 10th and had a good time. I wasn't popular and very few close friends were going but I had a really good time. My 25th would have been fun but I was overseas and not spending that much money/taking time off for it.

[pitta12]

I went to one of them, I think my 10th? I only went because it was happening at a time when I was in my hometown visiting my mom anyway, but I ended up being glad I went. It was fun to see where people ended up, how people had changed and hadn't changed, etc. But about an hour and a half into it I was ready to go, so I was glad I didn't make a special trip for it.

[Deleted]

My 25th is this year. I've seen some emails flying around from someone trying to organize something. I thought I might go, but it sounds like there is going to be some travel involved (it won't be local) and it's always on Black Friday. So I probably won't attend. Most people I'm still friendly with from HS I see on occasion. A group of about 8 of us have dinner plans in a few weeks.

I went to my 10-year reunion and didn't care for it. Same cliques, no one really strayed from their group. So that was disappointing.

[drloretta]

Jun 28, 2016 14:43:11 GMT -5 @psugrad said:

I went to my 10-year reunion and didn't care for it. Same cliques, no one really strayed from their group. So that was disappointing.

My mom's opinion is that the 10th is the worst, because everyone is still trying to prove themselves. After that it gets better, apparently

[FormerlyRR]

I went with my exH to one of his, 15th I think? Never made it to any of mine, and I really have little to no desire to go.

[pinkdutchtulips]

I went to my 5th and 10th and I'm looking forward to going to my 25th next year. I wanted to go to my 20th but I couldn't swing it financially and things were NOT good w xh. He would have sulked, pouted then accused me of flirting w old boyfriends :/ so I skipped it.

[dorothyinAus]

I skipped the 5-Year one because it was at a loud college bar during rush week at local colleges, and it was the night I had tickets to a patron's preview of a museum exhibit I had been waiting to see.

I went to the 10-Year one and had a great time seeing everyone.  It was held at a reception hall in City Park then a mass & breakfast at the school.

The 15-Year was not held; Thanks, Katrina.

I skipped the 20-Year one because I had just moved to Australia and could not afford or justify a trip back for it.  I'm really sorry now though because some of our teachers were there and they have since passed away.

This year is my 25-Year reunion and the class is having trouble getting it organized.  It was first supposed to be this summer, but the committee didn't do anything and missed all the summer dates.  Now it may be in October and I may be home for it, but because the committee is so lax about everything I made plans for my trip back around a cruise with my parents other than the reunion.  If I'll be home for it, I'll go.  If not, I'm not re-arragning my schedule for it.  I've made independent plans to meet up with friends either way.

I was happy to be involved in the planning, but it's rather difficult being on the other side of the world.  I offered to do anything I could in terms of organization or planning, but my offers feel on deaf ears.  My suggestion that we hold it someplace quiet, i.e. not a bar, music hall, or bowling alley, were nixed.  My argument was that many people are interested in catching up and if you have to scream to be heard it's very difficult.

[drloretta]

Jun 28, 2016 18:25:01 GMT -5 dorothyinAus said:

I was happy to be involved in the planning, but it's rather difficult being on the other side of the world.  I offered to do anything I could in terms of organization or planning, but my offers feel on deaf ears.  My suggestion that we hold it someplace quiet, i.e. not a bar, music hall, or bowling alley, were nixed.  My argument was that many people are interested in catching up and if you have to scream to be heard it's very difficult.

I hear ya on this. one person has planned all of ours, and it seems that no matter how many polls she does, she ends up doing whatever she wants anyway. 1/3 of people wanted this reunion in the fall, 1/3 said summer (WTF?), and 1/3 said they didn't care. So she went with the last weekend in July. Is there a sweating emoticon? LOL

[Gato]

Nope, never have gone, and never will go, probably. I wonder if reunion attendance has tanked now that FB exists.

[read247]

Never been to one of mine. I don't really keep in touch with many people from HS anymore. And for some reason, the reunion committee keeps deciding that holiday weekends are good times to hold these things. I try to avoid traveling at those times, and some (like Thanksgiving) we absolutely stay at home for so I'm certainly not leaving my DH and kids home to go see a bunch of people I haven't seen in a decade and won't (assuming I went to the next reunion) see again for another.

[flex]

I went to my 20th alone and was bored to tears. It was in Oregon and I had already lived in Alaska for 17 years, so I'd completely lost touch with my friends. Which didn't make any difference because none of them were there. lol

So when my 30th rolled around I was married to DH, and I brought him along. I figured that since for my 20th I went stag, I was bored because I was by myself. Having him there would be more fun, right?




I was still bored to tears. My 40th is next year and I'm definitely not going.

[mags]

I went to the 10th it was fun. My graduating class way 1068 so honestly I did not know a lot of people.
Our 20th was scheduled to be in 2001 in Nov. Since it is in Manhattan they cancelled it due to 9/11. We lost many people from our HS.
So, this Nov. is our 30th (f'ng shot me) and I have not decided if ill be going or not.

[mich1]

I went to my 20th because I happened to be at my folks when it rolled around (I lived on the other side of the country). I was bored to tears. The cliques in HS were alive and well 20 years later, and I felt like I was in a time warp. The only thing I had in common was that we graduated from the same HS the same year.

My 40th is next year......not going to that either.

[Mrs.Rad888]

I haven't attended any of mine. I left home to go into the Navy immediately after graduation, and haven't kept up with anyone from HS. I did manage to find a few on Facebook, but I don't think we're FB friends any more. Occasionally I would wonder about a reunion, but by the time I managed to find out any info, it was too late to make arrangements to go. While in the Navy, it seemed like my schedule when I was stateside and available never seemed to match up with the reunion plans.

[auntie]

I went to the early ones; back then a local group got together and planned them which was fun. Then it got turfed to a company and that kind of sucked. I stopped going after my sister died for a few cycles. Everyone always asked about her because she was kind of "out there" and it was just a downer explaining she was dead at 33. People always asked how she died (AIDS) and it was just a total buzzkill all around.

I went about 10 years ago and hung out with folks I knew from elementary which was pretty cool. I drove my mom to hers which was a lot of fun. Some creepy dude hit on me.

[frannyr]

Newp. I have been to none. I talk to who I want to from HS and it's only a couple people. I have more curiosity in seeing how people look than actually socializing with them.

Something about reunions always makes me think of "Romy and Michelle".

[moolarkey]

I have gone to a couple. We went to one last summer and I think it's the last one I will go to. I saw who I wanted to see and that was enough for me. I will say I went to my mom's 50th with her and I had a blast. Her little village in Illinois has all their reunions on Memorial weekend with the honor classes (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, etc) being especially recognized.

How many people get to go to their mom's high school reunion and sit next to their mom's prom date! They were such a fun group, they really had come from all over and it was like they'd seen each other the day before. The conversations and stories they told during dinner and then at the party after were just really fun. I was really looking forward to going to the 55th with her honest) but she died sort of suddenly that fall.

[sweetcheeks]

Jun 29, 2016 13:39:35 GMT -5 Gato said:

Nope, never have gone, and never will go, probably. I wonder if reunion attendance has tanked now that FB exists.

I think so. Last year was my 40th. It was being organized by the 'popular' girls from HS (who, admirably, are still close friends). They had such a difficult time getting people to attend, they opened it up to other classes, and when they didn't work, moved the date. Cost to attend was $100, plus hotel room.  They wound up with maybe 25 people, out of a class of almost 500!  I saw no need to spend $100 to see how well, or poor, people aged and how their lives had turned out, when I could go on FB and see for free. The people I remain friends with felt the same way.

Neither of my daughters attended their 10 year reunion, for similar reasons.

[ECB]

I almost went to my 20th but then got PG and decided I really didn't want to go 8 months PG and sober. I have some mild social anxiety and it just all reeked of "nooo!!!!'.

But after my 20th, that's actually when I got on FB. A friend who did go told me that "everyone" was getting on FB. So I did, reconnected w/ a lot of HS people, and then even went to a couple "mini-reunions" (MUCH more my speed) and even hosted one.

SO after that, I decided it would probably be fun to go to the 25th.

It was o.k. Much more intense - EVERYONE was in the "OMG! I haven't seen you in so long" mode w/ the people they were good friends with and IDK, I felt like I was on the sidelines. Plus, my DH came because I was told that most of the people we now knew were bringing their spouses and then... they all decided to NOT bring their spouses but no one told me.

And it was in the basement of a restaurant and the food was sucky.

Long story short- I won't be going to anymore official reunions. I wasn't impressed.

[treedimensional]

Never been to one, not in touch with anyone from that time of my life, not really curious.

[read247]

I haven't attended any of mine. Not only am I not really in touch with anyone from HS any more but the reunion committee keeps scheduling them on holiday weekends that are incredibly inconvenient for me to travel.

[caddywompus]

I have been to several. The 10 year one was the best. Everyone was new in their careers and families, so there was lots of catching up. (it was pre facebook!). 20th was pretty boring, lots of divorces and everyone starting to look old. 30th was awkward. We had all been apart so long, and it seems like everyone just hung around with the people they were already in contact with, so there wasn't as much socializing.

[TBM]

Jul 25, 2016 10:50:33 GMT -5 caddywompus said:

I have been to several. The 10 year one was the best. Everyone was new in their careers and families, so there was lots of catching up. (it was pre facebook!). 20th was pretty boring, lots of divorces and everyone starting to look old. 30th was awkward. We had all been apart so long, and it seems like everyone just hung around with the people they were already in contact with, so there wasn't as much socializing.

Ours was just the opposite....10 yr was kind of cliquey and awkward, and the later ones were much more social and fun.

We were in the same class, but not the same social circles, but at the reunions we both discovered that we had a lot of people to talk to because we had both been friendly to people that we had classes with, whether they were in our groups we hung with or not.  I had a very small group of close friends, but was part of a larger group that had some kind of snobby girls.  They had no other friends or acquaintances at the reunions and seemed sulky and bored....no fun.

DH was kind of surprised to find that he had so many acquaintances, since he thought that he had very few friends in HS.  He was also surprised at the number of females that were clamoring for his attention at the reunions, since he thought he had no game. lol   I like to remind him that he and I were casual acquaintances for years before we had a class together our senior year, and that we didn't really become friends who hung out until we actually started dating the last week of HS.  

[childofhiphop]

Oddball here. My HS does it differently. On Saturday night are the big years hotel-dinner reunions (10, 25, etc.) The next afternoon is the all school reunion. Every graduating year has a pop-up and a mini reunion. It's always a blast - mostly because my class has stayed in touch and has the biggest turnout and still lots of BBQ and fun (and I wasn't one of the popular crowd). DH's class is a year behind me (same school) but not so much of a turn out. So he hangs with my class every year.

We did go to my 25th this year and it was so much fun too. People came from across the country and from as far away as Australia and Japan. Lots of dancing, drinks, pictures and nice evening.