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Old 07-18-2017, 03:56 AM   #21
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I have never been invited to any school reunion. Possibly because I have moved a lot and changed my name several times due to marriage, divorce, and remarriage? EDIT: Just re-read Maebh's post. My parents moved in the middle of my junior year of HS, which pulled me from a small HS where I had friends, to a larger HS where I never really fit in. So that helps explain HS, but not college ;^> In college, I didn't live on campus and was a complete academic grind, so that probably explains that!

I have seen FB postings from some of them and can't recognize anybody except the FB friend who posted them. I barely remember any classmates' names.

I attended someone else's 50th college reunion a couple of years ago, so everyone was 72, and was amazed how good many of the women looked - as opposed to the men. I don't understand why the men didn't take better care of themselves. Maybe they don't think it's worth it, but it is.
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Old 07-18-2017, 05:09 AM   #22
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I've never been to any kind of reunion (I know what you're thinking, and I was in fact invited! ). No real interest in that sort of thing since it was in a big city and the students came (by subway) from all over so no interaction outside of classes.

But I do send my high school a substantial gift every year. My college gave me a good education but lost its way a long time ago and I don't have any regard for it any more. The high school is still doing a great job and I'm happy to support it.
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Old 07-18-2017, 05:11 AM   #23
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OTOH, DW has attended her college reunion every five years since she graduated. It's not a high cost thing and they make the dorms available for the attendees so no hotel costs to worry about. She always finds lots of old friends there and it's a good time. I've enjoyed attending them with her.
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Old 07-18-2017, 05:47 AM   #24
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Went to my last HS reunion 25 years ago. That was probably enough for me. Went to high school so long ago (about 50 years) and have certainly "moved on" from then. It was a great school and still is. Pricing of any reunion is the last thing I would consider.

I think back to my old high school friends and am surprised at how little we have in common today. The 50th reunion is this October but am not planning on attending. On the other hand, my brother loves this kind stuff, probably because high school were the best years of his life. He "peaked too early" in my view, but whatever. If I ever want to know where so-and-so is, I just ask him.
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Old 07-18-2017, 06:14 AM   #25
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HS was not a great experience for me other than the learning part. I wasn't athletic. I didn't know how to flirt. (Still don't.) For the first 3 years the boys' classrooms and the girls' classrooms were in separate halves of the building. The uniforms were ugly. I hated team sports. I am no longer part of the religious denomination that founded the school.

I went to the 5-year reunion and it was OK. Moved further away and didn't attend subsequent ones, till the 35th came up. They started a FaceBook page and I was comfortable enough with everyone that I decided to fly from KC to Ohio for it. I had a great time. It was like meeting a lot of new friends with whom I strangely had a lot in common. Last year I went to the 40th, when my mother and DH were both dying. (My stepson stayed with DH, for which I'll be forever grateful.) I swear half my classmates were nurses or social workers and a few had lost spouses- it was a wonderful time for R&R. There are so many genuinely nice people in that class. In October I'm headed back for a 50th reunion of my grade school's 8th-grade class, including one of the nuns who's no longer a nun.

So, I'll keep going. I'm still meeting "new, old friends", especially the guys who were on the other side of the building and weren't any better at flirting than I was.

My university graduating class had 10,000 people in it. I'm in touch with a few on FB but that's about it- no desire to go back to reunions.
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Old 07-18-2017, 06:42 AM   #26
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After much debating with myself, I just sent in the $20 to attend my HS 50th reunion. I've made the 10, 20, and 40 reunions and hope that more of the classmates that I hung around with will be there. As many have mentioned, I have few fond memories of that time, it was a way station to getting on with life.

But finally decided I have little to lose but an evening and $20. Do to an elderly parent situation, I moved back to my hometown 13 years ago after being away for 35 years and have made no effort to re-connect. But life moves on and I'm now cognizant that I need to avail myself of opportunities to connect with folks as we will be empty-nesters for the first time this fall. Most of my social contacts have been through the activities of my sons and them moving on to college will create a hole that needs to be filled. Likely, nothing will come of it, but I need to be open to opportunities. I don't hang around folks my age at all, being an older dad, most of my contacts are a good 20 years younger and at a different stage in life.
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Old 07-18-2017, 07:34 AM   #27
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In the invitation letter they included a list of classmates who had passed away. My name was on it! I guess they weren't surprised I didn't show up.
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Old 07-18-2017, 08:29 AM   #28
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Many interesting comments. My graduating class was 850, so I really only knew the small fraction that made up the football team, the baseball team and the advanced math and science classes. Potentially a wide range of acquaintances, to be sure, but I didn't hang around with the jocks much even though I was a starter on both teams because they were the heavy drinkers and drug users. And I didn't see the academic types outside of class because I was too busy with sports.

I did attend the 25th. It was a few months after my dad died and my mother still lived in the community. I owed Mom a visit so I said, what the heck, and went to the reunion. It was DEPRESSING. As several of you have said, the men looked awful. Most were horribly obese or they looked like meth addicts (which, knowing them in HS, they probably were). The women certainly looked better, overall, but still they were a pretty rough looking bunch. Conversation focused on the 3 D's - deaths, divorces and disability filings.

Although my sister still lives in the area and I definitely am overdue for a visit (according to DW). I just don't see any reason to reacquaint myself with the group that has stayed in that area. I keep up with 4 HS friends on Facebook (all living more than 500 miles from home) and they keep me more than updated on things I might want to know.
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Old 07-18-2017, 10:47 AM   #29
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I was the new kid in a small town and attended HS for 10-12 year. I went to 10 yr, 25 yr, and 45 yr reunions(only ones they had). I was somewhat of an outsider in HS, but glad I attended the reunions. I only had to travel 25 miles, so no big deal on travel. No regrets.
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Old 07-18-2017, 11:00 AM   #30
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I've never been to my HS reunions. Probably because they are in Detroit and I live in CA.

If it was a couple hour drive maybe I would go.
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Old 07-18-2017, 11:03 AM   #31
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........... Pricing of any reunion is the last thing I would consider...............
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.
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Old 07-18-2017, 11:18 AM   #32
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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.
So funny! Glad DW wasn't home to hear me chortling!
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Old 07-18-2017, 11:19 AM   #33
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My 50th HS reunion is coming up next year and the organizers made a FaceBook page for it over a year ago. Through that page I have been able to see what everyone is up to, looks like, who is left, etc The reunion is in NY and I am in Florida, so flying up and hotel stay is a big detraction. Many have moved to Florida by now anyway, so we had a local reunion dinner about 6 months ago. I did go to the 20th when I lived close by, but that might have been it.

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Old 07-18-2017, 11:30 AM   #34
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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.
This could be more fun than my actual reunion. Show up with a bunch of old strangers and start conversations like, "Whatever happened to old, um, whatshisname? You remember, tall guy, blonde hair, played on the football team. Didn't he marry a cheerleader?" OR "Too bad about our old chemistry teacher. Heard he died a few years back from mercury poisoning."

Or a movie, call it "Reunion Crashers".
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Old 07-18-2017, 11:36 AM   #35
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I went to my 30th. My high school was huge - about 1000 in my class. I hung out with the academic/nerd group in high school (chess club/star trek fans/ etc.) I'm still very good friends with many high school friends.

I only knew a few people at the reunion because my peeps - the nerds - didn't show.

Another interesting thing... My high school, my graduating class, was the basis for Cameron Crowe's book and movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Every former surfer/stoner guy from high school was 100% convince they were the basis for Spiccoli (played by Sean Penn in the movie). I shared a table with 3 guys who were arguing that they were Spiccoli's inspiration.

My nerd friends and I ended up having an alternate reunion of just our group of geeks and nerds... got people from several states to come in... About 35 people... had it as a semi-catered potluck in my backyard. Now that was fun!!!!! People who actually remembered each other, wanted to see each other, and hung out together in high school.

I think I'll skip my 40th... especially if they try to do the Fast Times theme again.
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Old 07-18-2017, 11:44 AM   #36
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I went to my 30th. My high school was huge - about 1000 in my class. I hung out with the academic/nerd group in high school (chess club/star trek fans/ etc.) I'm still very good friends with many high school friends.

I only knew a few people at the reunion because my peeps - the nerds - didn't show.

Another interesting thing... My high school, my graduating class, was the basis for Cameron Crowe's book and movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Every former surfer/stoner guy from high school was 100% convince they were the basis for Spiccoli (played by Sean Penn in the movie). I shared a table with 3 guys who were arguing that they were Spiccoli's inspiration.

My nerd friends and I ended up having an alternate reunion of just our group of geeks and nerds... got people from several states to come in... About 35 people... had it as a semi-catered potluck in my backyard. Now that was fun!!!!! People who actually remembered each other, wanted to see each other, and hung out together in high school.

I think I'll skip my 40th... especially if they try to do the Fast Times theme again.
Did you see that they're showing "Fast Times" in theaters again for its 35th anniversary? Shows are July 30th and August 2nd at 2PM and 7PM.
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Old 07-18-2017, 11:53 AM   #37
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I went to my 30th. My high school was huge - about 1000 in my class. I hung out with the academic/nerd group in high school (chess club/star trek fans/ etc.) I'm still very good friends with many high school friends.

I only knew a few people at the reunion because my peeps - the nerds - didn't show.

Another interesting thing... My high school, my graduating class, was the basis for Cameron Crowe's book and movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Every former surfer/stoner guy from high school was 100% convince they were the basis for Spiccoli (played by Sean Penn in the movie). I shared a table with 3 guys who were arguing that they were Spiccoli's inspiration.

My nerd friends and I ended up having an alternate reunion of just our group of geeks and nerds... got people from several states to come in... About 35 people... had it as a semi-catered potluck in my backyard. Now that was fun!!!!! People who actually remembered each other, wanted to see each other, and hung out together in high school.

I think I'll skip my 40th... especially if they try to do the Fast Times theme again.


That sounds like what we're trying to do.

My husband organized his 15th year class reunion, as the 10th was a disaster. It was a big success, but he had a lot of help. Haven't been back.

I went to my 25th and had a great time, as I was visiting with my own friends and band teacher. I flew across the country to go. There were lots of people I didn't know.

Band teacher wants to go this year, as long as us musician types are going- we can organize our own little party. We're all Facebook friends so we've kept in touch. One of us is successful in Hollywood, but he's a cool guy who knows how fortunate he is, he'll probably come. I'm hoping I can arrange flights and make it work. It would be nice to go to a music high school reunion.
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Old 07-18-2017, 12:17 PM   #38
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Thanks for starting this thread. I can relate to many of the prior posts.

My graduating class was 715 people. I only went to the 15th reunion at a fancy hotel.

It was somewhat depressing. As others have reported, the guys were already "letting themselves go" and the gals still looked good (early 30s). My classmates (the academics/nerds) were in short supply. I don't know if they went away to college, and then got jobs elsewhere or what. The jocks and cheerleaders were there en masse, just like in their high school cliques. An already-drunk classmate (who I didn't know) commandeered me as I was walking down the hotel hallway to come in and help her zip up her dress. Some guy from my homeroom (I didn't remember him at all) kept telling me how he used to have a crush on me.

The souvenir booklet they gave us included a list of the names of 5-6 classmates who had already died....and about 20 they'd already lost track of.

I've lost touch with everyone from high school due to several career-driven moves to other states...and after the last H.S. 'friend' tapped me for some money 2 years ago.

My 50th is coming up in 2018. I'd been toying with the thought of going. It's a 3-hour drive. Part of me is curious to see who's still alive and what they've done with their lives.

If I decide to go, my sister and BIL live nearby, so I could stop by for a visit with them, so as not to feel that the trip was a total waste.


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Old 07-18-2017, 12:19 PM   #39
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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.
Great plan! DW and I moved 1200 miles away after high school. Neither one of us brought our SR. yearbooks our love for the school and people in it was so great!

We did go back for our 20th. Drove 1200 miles back to the Podunk place we grew up in. At breakfast one morning our server greated us like long lost friends. We graduated together! Oh how nice. When she left we looked at each other and both said who's that?

We ended up with a buddy of mine who lived on the edge of a State forest(in a house). He called a group who we hung with. We drank beer and watched about 8 black bears hanging around his place.
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Old 07-18-2017, 12:30 PM   #40
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Did you see that they're showing "Fast Times" in theaters again for its 35th anniversary? Shows are July 30th and August 2nd at 2PM and 7PM.
I saw that. We own a copy on DVD... I figured at some point my kids would need to see what the fuss was about.... They've heard so many references among my friends. FWIW - *none* of the characters were based on me.
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