High School Reunion

[Ron H]

High School reunion this summer. The 50th for my wife and I (HS pair). Wasn’t going to go, last one we went to was #25 and it was about as marvelous as watching paint dry. Some trying to reluctantly say a few words to others outside their old cliques…”Oh I remember you, how are you?” Then the awkward looking around or sipping on the cocktail trying to generate any more useful conversation. Lol.

There are around four buds from HS that I still see. All of us are old car guys. Well, here’s how getting sucked into this went: One bud’s wife, also from HS, texts my wife pleading with her to ‘talk me into going’. Part a that is her hubby didn’t want to go knowing I didn’t. Same deal with another bud. She tells my wife he’s going; but come to find out, nope he’s not. WTF. 50 years and this is the 2nd reunion I’ll be attending – we’ll all look like we belong in a senior citizen home and congregate around the people we still associate with anyway. Can do the same **** going out to dinner.
If anyone can lemme know why attending sounds appealing great.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

Shoot, I didn’t even go to graduation, didn’t even stick around to the end of school last day. When high school was done for me, it was done.

If you’re still hanging out with the same people, why go back to hangout with people you never hung out with or care to hangout with?

 

[SlingLow]

Class of '78 here. The only reunion I went to was the 10th. At that point most people are still posturing to assert their status and success. Renting limo's, grand entrance, etc. No desire to participate since, except for the 25th. When that year rolled around I got online to try to find any info and struck out. Months later I found out that there was a 25th reunion, my girlfriend all the way through high school organized it, and they couldn't find me. I owned a house I had been in for 10 years that was one mile from the school. Same phone#, same email for years. Kinda glad they didn't. I do know people that still 'relive' the high school days constantly. I'm not one of 'em.

Edit: I did enjoy seeing the school's biggest jock who became a total flamer. I didn't recognize him until someone told me who he was. When he hugged me (we were good friends back in the day) he told me I was hot. I still laugh about that.

Shoot, I didn’t even go to graduation, didn’t even stick around to the end of school last day. When high school was done for me, it was done.

If you’re still hanging out with the same people, why go back to hangout with people you never hung out with or care to hangout with?

View attachment 1474821

So your Bro's graduation meant more to you than your own. That says something about you and I like it!

 

[Runcharger]

Agreed: I worked full time in grade 12 and didn't go to grad either. I still keep in touch with a few people from school but don't have any interest in anyone else. It is fun to see the overweight jocks and has been beauty queens though I suppose. Take your phone with you so you have something to keep you entertained.

 

[Ron H]

Take your phone with you so you have something to keep you entertained.

That's a nice idea; ya know it might be fun to count how many will be there gawking at their phones

 

[Richard Cranium]

There were only two kids I hung out with for a short time after high school and we’ve all moved on. I went to my 25th(?) reunion and chit chatted with a couple people and that was about it; nothing meaningful and no rekindled relationships. What was amusing was the high school adonis jock turned into an ugly pot-bellied slob. My 50th will be in three years and I have zero desire to go.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I agree with everything said in the earlier posts. I graduated from State College High in 1971. Huge class, every bad cliche about high school magnified exponentially by the Penn State presence. Sons of Penn State football stars become the high school jocks. The class behind me, the prom queen won Miss Pennsylvania, but get this - also went to medical school on scholarship. The "smart kid" in my AP chemistry class is now a Stanford professor who has been on the cover of Time magazine. I was in a toss up with a buddy for class dunce. In the cliques and caste system in place, I easily ranked in the bottom 20 percent.

My wife was the opposite. She was the big fish in a small rural school, a prom queen, daughter of the only doctor for the county. We attended her 15th. I got a rush out of entering an appearance as visiting royalty, with the girl everyone had coveted. We drove the GTX, which was hands down the coolest car in attendance. My spouse was in a state of depression afterwards, after surveying the wreckage that had been her class. She never went to another, she took no pleasure in being a "winner."

After graduation, which I didn't want to attend, but my parents made me, I found my footing, transformed my physical appearance, and attained some modest financial success. I felt compelled to go back to every reunion. The 45th was the high point. That year I connected with many folks I had never spoken with back in the day, and we talked about the irony of how many of our differences back then seemed trivial a lifetime later.

I attended my 50th two years ago, and it will be my last. It was split into two nights. The first was at a local watering hole, totally informal. Everyone circulated, and most of us were laughing at ourselves, in terms of the pot holes we had hit in life. The second night was organized, with a buffet and tables. I wasn't surprised when things started regressing toward high school. My wife and I were invited to sit next to a former cheerleader, her colleagues were obviously not happy. My class has a "70th birthday" event set up in two weeks. Nothing I need to see at this point.

My decision was made easier by the fact the GTX got invited to a local event the same day, honoring cars that were cruising the court house square in the 60s and 70s. Shown below, GTX number five, with the prom queen and court at my 45th. At the 50th, the one on the far right confessed to being a fraud, she was ashamed to use her cane in front of the old crowd.

 

[Cheapsunglasses]

So your Bro's graduation meant more to you than your own. That says something about you and I like it!

I was an idiot when I graduated. I was less of an idiot when he did. And He’s dyslexic and has some other challenges, he fought so hard for his diploma, and fought so much harder for his college diploma. I had to support him

 

[WileERobby]

Don't even know if my HS had any reunion ever. Wouldn't go anyway, as it was a college prep school.

 

[wahya]

The only reunion I went to was the 10th. At that point most people are still posturing to assert their status and success. Renting limo's, grand entrance, etc.

Yes, 10th everybody trying to show off. 20th there was less of that and more of glad to see you kind of thing. Also a few of the plain looking girls were now gorgeous. My wife graduated the same year as me, but different school. One of those gorgeous girls was very popular at my wife’s reunion and I was sitting with my wife’s girlfriend and her husband. The husband and me decided we would go up and meet this girl. We walked up to her like we were very good friends and hugged her and she hugged us and she finally said “I’m trying to remember you guys” , told her we never met before actually we are with our wives who went to this school. The 30th was a good one, seeing old friends, remembering ones that were no longer with us. The 40th my wife stayed home and I went with a friend. I spent most of the night talking with a woman that I knew since grade school. As it got late,she invited me to her room at the motel and my friend got invited from another woman. My friend whispers to me, don’t leave me now. We got up to the room and about 20 other people were there. Felt just like high school days. For my 50th, the motel and venue were just to expensive. My wife and I went to her’s (it was the same day as mine). From what I’ve heard, not many went to my school’s.

 

[33 IMP]

Never went, never wanted to, never will.

 

[RTDaddy]

Looking at 45th upcoming, made a 10th and 20th, lots of "posturing" as mentioned above. Going to hit this one as am curious how "the other half" made it from the viewpoint of "the guy who was always under the hood of a car" according to a yearbook signing back in the day. Always fun to see how the "best looking/most likely to/smartest" folks actually made out.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Never went, never wanted to, never will.

Spot on.... I grew up as a Military Brat, Pop's retired in 75, I graduated in 77... So two years in a school where everyone had grown up together since they were born... Didn't fit in... And really didn't care...

I saw more & experienced more by the time I graduated than most of my classmates ever will, but I wasn't a part of their cliché. Waaa....

 

[SteveSS]

I graduated in 1975. We are planning our 50th. I was class president and they didn't tell me that job entailed doing reunions forever. Luckily there are some girls that still live around the area and they take care of everything. All I ever have to do is make speeches. My town was about 10,000 people so our high school was medium-sized. I try to ask people to move around a lot and not get stuck at one table with their friends. I always have a good time at reunions.

I know my hair is white and I'm fatter but I don't care.

 

[Ron H]

Recall without fondness, some of the cliques, had some non-close friends or acquaintances in some of those groups, part a that was being in gymnastics for two years. But, my close HS bud’s were from before HS and still are today. We go back to elementary school. Rejected the click borders then, jock dude had the same year GTO I had and we raced a good dozen times. We were friendly, not close as he had his clique buds on the FB team. Remember getting lectures from a few about “Why you talking with that guy or gal?” Likely same **** being said about me.

Found the same sort a clique **** when I worked for a company, aspiring to a VP position for a few years. I was in the exec office with half-doz or so other guys. One became a close friend. I got a load of **** when I brought my old ride to work one day. We all had nice company rides. These guys couldn’t check their oil or wanted to. “Why you driving that old bucket?” (It was in nice shape, they didn’t note.)

During a meeting, CEO asked what we did over the weekend. Three or four watched college basketball games entire weekend. Said I repaired our washer and installed a water pump in my old car. Lol, “Why would you do that? You can have someone do that or get a new washer.” Paid 9 bucks for the washer part I needed and a couple hours replacing it, that’s - why. Well, ya’d think I broke some friggin rule among the lofty. Eventually the CEO got a hate on for me as I didn’t kiss his *** and challenged his ‘vision’ with corporate goals. Being the field services guy, out working with the people under my jurisdiction, said there’s some things we should attend to, to help them walk before they can run. Other VP I was close with agreed. Did NOT want to hear it and treated both of us like dogshit after this. After a generous separation package, started my own biz saying bye to the **** that reminded me of HS.

 

[eldubb440]

last thing I need is to run into any old flames.......

 

[SteveSS]

I've noticed this at reunions. When talking to someone I knew from back then, my brain sees their face as they looked in high school not as they look now. It's tough finding out which students have passed away, So many were my friends. I also noticed there are some girls that were nothing special in HS that look great now. My main girlfriend from those days still looks fantastic. We still talk about every 3 weeks.

 

[Ron H]

in HS that look great now

Some have the gift of aging nicely more than others, BUT time will take its toll. lol

 

[68BabyBlue]

Recall without fondness, some of the cliques, had some non-close friends or acquaintances in some of those groups, part a that was being in gymnastics for two years. But, my close HS bud’s were from before HS and still are today. We go back to elementary school. Rejected the click borders then, jock dude had the same year GTO I had and we raced a good dozen times. We were friendly, not close as he had his clique buds on the FB team. Remember getting lectures from a few about “Why you talking with that guy or gal?” Likely same **** being said about me.

Found the same sort a clique **** when I worked for a company, aspiring to a VP position for a few years. I was in the exec office with half-doz or so other guys. One became a close friend. I got a load of **** when I brought my old ride to work one day. We all had nice company rides. These guys couldn’t check their oil or wanted to. “Why you driving that old bucket?” (It was in nice shape, they didn’t note.)

During a meeting, CEO asked what we did over the weekend. Three or four watched college basketball games entire weekend. Said I repaired our washer and installed a water pump in my old car. Lol, “Why would you do that? You can have someone do that or get a new washer.” Paid 9 bucks for the washer part I needed and a couple hours replacing it, that’s - why. Well, ya’d think I broke some friggin rule among the lofty. Eventually the CEO got a hate on for me as I didn’t kiss his *** and challenged his ‘vision’ with corporate goals. Being the field services guy, out working with the people under my jurisdiction, said there’s some things we should attend to, to help them walk before they can run. Other VP I was close with agreed. Did NOT want to hear it and treated both of us like dogshit after this. After a generous separation package, started my own biz saying bye to the **** that reminded me of HS.

Similar experience here. Only difference was I made VP first. I credit that to my freshman English teacher introducing me to theater. I was the understudy for a lead role in a play we did that year. Developed the skill set, and used it to my advantage in the executive suite. Per post by @SteveSS, when I re-connected with her this year, in my mind, I still pictured her as she was in 1968. I enjoy meeting with her more than any of my classmates.

 

[Ron H]

credit that to my freshman English teacher

Yeah, had a teacher in creative writing that was young, attractive, and sweet. Yeah, had a fantasy or two about her. She could get flustered as some dipshits would take advantage of her mild-manners. There were a couple of us that would make a recommendation to the dip’s STFU.