HS Reunion pricing/setting

[foxcreek9]

Our class (78) gets together every 5 years since 1983. Since we only had 39 in our class, it is not hard to find a place to hold it. It usually a weekend thing, one night at a local bar, one night at someone's house, and a dinner at a restaurant on Sunday. It is basically a core of 15-20 who show every 5 years. Many of the rest have moved away and come occasionally.

 

[jjquantz]

I'm going to steal that quote! I realized early on that many adults in my town re-lived their own HS days vicariously through the current football team. Sad lot. I always hoped I'd have something more to look back on by the end of my own life. I think I sort of succeeded, although I'm not done yet.

As for reunions, I think if I wanted to re-connect with anyone, FaceBook would take the place of those. Seems like they'd be pretty awkward.

Oooh, that reminds me. In my first teaching job (small town) I remarked to my students that, " In 30 years, nobody will care what you did in high school." That did not go over well with the parents who were still reliving every day of their high school lives.

 

[Scuba]

It's interesting how some people really stay connected to what's happened to former classmates, teachers, etc. and others just move on. I enjoyed high school but have only kept in touch with a few people, none of whom live in our former hometown. Although I have many fun memories of my high school days, I don't have a strong desire to reconnect with those times or people. YMMV

 

[Bestwifeever]

I shop around for the best priced reunion. Since I wouldn't remember any of my actual classmates, anyway, this affords me the choice of an inexpensive local event.

"We went to different schools together."

 

[Koolau]

DW and I graduated same school/year. We had our 50th a couple of years ago. Entry was $50/couple and was held at "the Country Club." It's a nice but dated venue. The food was good. There was a cash bar, light entertainment, etc. All in all, it was a good time and I'm glad I went.

During the meal, DW (who has "silver" hair) said "There's a bunch of old people here!" I had to laugh at her semi-serious comment.

Since I lived many of my years in the town where I attended HS, I often ran into old class mates - even w*rked with a few. Our graduation class was over 500 (would have been more, but at the previous X-mas, there was a mass exodus of girls who would not have made it to graduation without "showing" - which was verboten back in the day. How times have changed.) With that many graduates, we've lost a bunch of people. I think I calculated it was 14% at the time. Also, with that many folks, there were plenty of folks I didn't really know when I was in HS. Just as a guess, I'd say we had about a 35% showing of the class - difficult to tell with spouses, many of whom were class mates like my DW.

Back in the day, we all had our various "circles" (cliques, in some cases). There were the jocks, the cheerleader/popular (aka rich) girls, the nerds (my circle), the "hoods", the "strange", etc. I noticed that some of the cliques still existed after 50 years. It was clear that many of these folks not only never moved away, but they had stayed in close contact with their circle. There was a fair amount of "intermarrying" among the "popular" students - most were still together, which sort of surprised me.

I'm sure there were a number of fairly well-to-do folks there, but I was not aware of their situations beyond knowing that this one was a lawyer at a local firm or that one was a professor at the "local" college, etc. There really were no "recognized" stand outs (no rock stars, no "celebrities", etc.) We did have one guy who became an under-ambassador to a European country.

I suppose it was kind of "what you would expect." Lots of weight gain, lots of bald heads, lots of "silver" hair, etc. But, there was one "girl" who had been one of the more popular girls back in the day. She was there with (IIRC) here 3rd husband who appeared to be 10 years younger. But she looked at least 10 years younger than he! She apparently had some "work" done - at a good clinic. During HS, she had acne and now, apparently had received a good "resurfacing" job, probably a tummy tuck, "augmentation", lips, lift and hair color - not to mention fabulous make-up. She was in such contrast to virtually everyone else that she made a stir wherever she roamed in the hall. I didn't know whether to feel "good" for her or to pity her. I suddenly felt myself back in HS for a minute or two. That quickly passed and DW and I spent a very pleasant evening with my best HS buddy (he was best man at our wedding) and his mail-order bride from RP.

Two years later I continue to receive the occasional "Sad News" email from our class "historian" who keeps track of those who "graduate" to another dimension. If there is a 55th, I'm not sure I will go, but I would strongly consider the 60th, if DW and I are still up to it.

HS was not a bad time for me nor was it nearly a "high point" either. As time passes, the bad memories fade and the good memories remain. I think that's the way it should be. YMMV

 

[Rummy]

My senior year (1968) I was an exchange student in Australia and didn't graduate with that class. The 1969 class became my graduating class. So, I am invited to both 68 and 69 class reunions.

I've attended most reunions for each class, held every five years. The reunions are usually held at a local fire house social hall and are very inexpensive BYOB affairs with a local DJ providing 60's hits.

Our class sizes were around 100 students most kids knew everyone well. The two classes are completely different however. The 68 class is very outgoing and just has fun! The 69 class still break up into their high school cliques and don't mingle with the others.

Over the years the moods of each reunion have changed. The earlier reunions were more "look at me and what I've accomplished" and by the 45th became "look at us we're still here"!

Amazingly my 68 class has lost only two members, that we know. One boy killed in a car accident the summer after graduation and a woman in her thirties to cancer. The 69 class has lost 14, that we know.

Attendence has been approximately 50 - 60 classmates at each reunion (very good, I think). It seems the classmates who live nearby are the no shows.

My 50ths are coming up soon and hopefully everyone will be able to attend. It's good to see old friends....but boy do "they" look old.....

 

[Sue J]

DH and I were in the same high school class and he was our senior class president, so we go to all the reunions. We live less than an hour away.

Our graduating class (1973) had about 1000 and 200 or more show up to most of the reunions which are every 10 years.

As for the cost, our last one was $70/person IIRC. the invite came out a good 6 mo ahead of time and there was a discount for reserving and paying early. Surprisingly, 2 weeks before the event there was an email to the entire mailing list asking folks to pay up or the event would be canceled. Quite shameful that people could not pay in advance for something with so much notice.

Ours are held at an upscale country club. It's a nice affair that we both enjoy except that with a band playing and everyone shouting over the band the volume is uncomfortable. Or maybe I'm getting old.....

DH keeps in touch with some of our old friends via Facebook. I like my internet privacy so I don't join the FB stuff but he keeps me informed.

If this wasn't just an hour away, or if DH hadn't been pres I think I would skip it. But every 10 years I can make it happen.

 

[MuirWannabe]

DW and I are high school sweethearts. Our 2nd date was the prom. We've now been married 31 years but have made no effort to stay close to HS friends. Our 40th reunion will be in 3 years. Maybe we will go to that. It would be our first one to attend. Even though it was a big class we were part of, over 800, I'm betting our relationship might be the longest lasting HS romance from our class. Whooppee

 

[gcgang]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I attended HS graduating 1972 w class of about 750. We had race riots my junior year, two times bringing dozens of police to break up. Senior year, president was impeached, VP (me) resigned, replaced by blacks.

40th reunion was advertised. The black president got on the FB page, said there weren't enough people of color on the planning committee, ended up setting up a second (separate but equal?) reunion attended mostly by blacks.

I lived 2500 miles away, didn't attend. I did have second thoughts that maybe I should have stayed on as VP, fantasizing that I could have made a difference, and this crap wouldn't still be going on. But it's not just going on w my former classmates, its still going on across the country. Sad.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I attended HS graduating 1972 w class of about 750. We had race riots my junior year, two times bringing dozens of police to break up. Senior year, president was impeached, VP (me) resigned, replaced by blacks.

40th reunion was advertised. The black president got on the FB page, said there weren't enough people of color on the planning committee, ended up setting up a second (separate but equal?) reunion attended mostly by blacks.

I lived 2500 miles away, didn't attend. I did have second thoughts that maybe I should have stayed on as VP, fantasizing that I could have made a difference, and this crap wouldn't still be going on. But it's not just going on w my former classmates, its still going on across the country. Sad.

You got impeached,hahaha. Thats one for the record books. For a minute I thought you went to my high school, but we didnt have an impeachment.

 

[Scrapr]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I attended HS graduating 1972 w class of about 750. We had race riots my junior year, two times bringing dozens of police to break up. Senior year, president was impeached, VP (me) resigned, replaced by blacks.

Just curious. How do you get impeached in HS politics? Was John dean involved? Or did the school Principal just say...You! You're done. GTFO

and for the record. Attended only the 5 year reunion. Nothing since. Steely dan said it best

https://youtu.be/Sq8OU-7JDFA

 

[N02L84ER]

I attended my 10th and my 35th. The 10th was held in a local meeting Hall and paid primarily from remaining class funds. It had a good turnout and was fun. My hometown population is less than 2000 and my graduating class was less than 80. There was only one classmate that we didn't recognize immediately at the 10th. He looked fantastic and everyone was amazed when we found out who he was. The 35th was held in a hotel meeting room in a town that was an hour's drive from my hometown and 6+ hours from my home. The food was a catered buffet from a restaurant owned by a friend of mine. It was delicious. We also had some wine / beer but were told to bring our own if we wanted more than 1 glass. The cost was $25pp and went from 4pm to midnight. Those that stayed overnight at the hotel had to pay that separately. I enjoyed it a lot. My DH enjoyed it more than he enjoyed his own reunions. I/we may attend the 40th next year. I enjoyed school but would never say it was a highlight of my life.

 

[gcgang]

Ok, maybe impeach is too technical. The Student Council voted to remove the President. He was pretty much representative of the worst of the white kids. I thought I'd become President, when they told me "we'd be happy to have you stay on as VP", I thought, I've got better things to do than deal w this stuff, and I resigned.

It was a great learning experience, as out of the riots the leaders and athletes had "encounter groups", and really good dialogue and friendships were developed across races where they didn't exist before. But in light of the 40th reunion experience, more needed to be done

 

[pacergal]

I went to my 10 and 25th. Cost between $50-100. Sad to say, same cliques and groups stayed together--did no one grow up since high school? Since I was a nerdy introvert in HS and wasn't part of their "clique", I didn't spend time with too many folks at the reunion, even though I tried to walk around and engage people in small talk. After about the first 30 minutes, I pretty much was talking only with the ones I had known since kindergarten and were good friends.
Skipped the 30 and 40 year ones. Funny how over the years, people find me on Facebook and its like we are long lost friends. Really?

 

[Brat]

Husband and I attended different high schools in a medium size city. His class was large and he still has lunch with 'the guys' once a month. Keep in mind that he is soon to be 80 and the group is getting smaller by the year. My graduating class was small and many of us returned to the city after retiring from our professions elsewhere. I still have lunch with my HS buddy regularly.

Reunions for the first 20-30 years were awful as everyone was 'marking up' each other's success (or not). Now we are delighted to see each other alive.

Neither DH nor I attend our college reunions. I had my nose in textbooks graduating early, DH (who I didn't know at the time) worked his way through school so had little time for socializing.

I recommend attending reunions where you formed friendships.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Ok, maybe impeach is too technical. The Student Council voted to remove the President. He was pretty much representative of the worst of the white kids. I thought I'd become President, when they told me "we'd be happy to have you stay on as VP", I thought, I've got better things to do than deal w this stuff, and I resigned.

It was a great learning experience, as out of the riots the leaders and athletes had "encounter groups", and really good dialogue and friendships were developed across races where they didn't exist before. But in light of the 40th reunion experience, more needed to be done

The riot in my school was awesome, Christmas vacation started 4 days early, ill see if i can google the incident(s).

 

[pb4uski]

We are definitely outliers. DW and I are from the same graduating class of ~340 and she was class VP our junior and years. In HS, she was by far the more social and more connected to the "in" crowd and I was more the shy/quiet geek. Over the years, we have gravitated towards the middle... I am more social than in HS and she is slightly less social than in HS.

We have attended every quinquenial class reunion since we graduated except our 10th class reunion where we had a conflict because BIL/SIL was getting married in a double wedding. In fact, while we knew each other in HS, we both attended our 5th year reunion without dates.... I asked her to dance and the rest is history.

We helped organize a few of our reunions but stay away from that now. While I enjoy the reunions, particularly the most recent one where I was one of a few classmates who was retired, I'll admit that 4 hours every 5 years with my HS classmates is plenty for me. DW has attended the party the previous night but one night is enough for me. It helps that our best man also attends since his DW is in our graduating class so we have some good friends to hang with.

That said, there are only a few people from our graduating class that I see on a regular basis.

Our reunions are typically casual, low key and low cost to try to make them affordable for everyone.