I've been getting emails and info lately about my upcoming 10-year high school reunion. If I still lived in California maybe I'd go, but living so far away I doubt I will. I'm still in touch with my closest friends from high school and honestly if I did go it would probably be to see what became of people--and to laugh at them (which, let's face it, isn't very nice. I'm kidding. Mostly.)
Looking back I never really had any school pride...I went to some football games, but I think that was just to make fun of the marching band (and have an excuse to go to Denny's and eat ice cream afterwards.) I was really involved in some extracurricular stuff but I wouldn't say I had any school spirit per se. And by the time I graduated I was ready to be DONE with Atascadero High School. I had a great time, but it was because of my friends (most of whom I'm still in contact with and still see), and some of the best times were actually spent skipping OUT on school to go get frozen yogurt or just go home early. (I really did get good grades though. AND I was a "Top 30 Senior." It CAN be done! Oh it feels good to work the system...)
Kevin's high school didn't even have a reunion (he wouldn't have gone anyway). I guess I'm one of those weird people that doesn't really care...this idea about going back and trying to impress people--or having to pretend to BE impressed--or trying to recreate the "good ol' days"--is just too much. (I KNOW that's why there's so much alcohol consumed at these events!) Partying with random people you went to school with ten years ago but haven't talked to since and never partied with to begin with...yeah, not me. Awkward. (Can you tell I'm an introvert??!!!)
Again, if I still lived in California, 45 minutes from where I went to high school, I'd totally go. And I'd make my best friend and her husband go. We'd probably sit at the table and laugh a lot. It'd be worth it for sure. But sadly, I'm not sure it justifies the plane ticket, and I'm also not sure I could convince my friends to attend, as they've taken a similar stand. I think that's why we're friends.
Did you go to your reunion? Or not?
(Tamara??? Did you go last year?)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
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27 comments:
You've expressed my sentiments exactly! I just had my 10 year reunion and chose not to go. I figured i'm in touch with all the people i WANT to be in touch with (thank you, myspace) and those that i'm not...well, you get the picture.
My best friend and her husband did attend our reunion though, so i got all the juicy details from her. :) It was just what i expected: drinking, drinking and more drinking, the same clicques that existed 10 years ago, some of the bratty popular girls had gotten fat (hee hee) and the "nerdy" kids were now happy, attractive and financially successful. Oh, and did i mention there was drinking? Good times, i tell ya! So needless to say, i don't feel like i missed out...and i don't think you will either. :) Can't wait to hear other people's comments on this!
Our reunion was this last summer (Andy and I went to the same HS and graduated the same year)...but we chose not to go. By the time we factored in the $100 per person ticket price, plus new clothes and the gas money to get to and from L.A., we decided that we really didn't care that much. Besides, I would have only wanted to go to be catty...I just wanted to know who got fat, who was hot, etc. And I can do that for free in my pajamas on myspace and facebook...
We don't regret not going, but we may go to the 20 year...everyone I know says that the 20 year is the fun one...when all the cliques are dissolved and everyone is sick of trying to impress each other and it's much more laid back and casual. We'll see...
NOT! Even with all my school spirit, great friends, living 15 minutes away, being head cheerleader... No thanks! I was so glad to graduate and be done with high school. I kind of look back now and wish I had gone to see a few people that I otherwise would probably never have a chance to see again, but... naaaaah!
Yes, without Mike, that was not as fin since I got there before my friends. I'm glad I did. I loved catching up with my friends from Honors, my friends from dance, and random people that I chatted with for perhaps the first time ever. My girlfriends and I talked about making it a girl's weekend for the 20th, unless the hubbies object.
We went to Mike's too and it was very overpriced, but they gave the extra money to a classmate who got very injured in Iraq so I got over it. I think we were both glad to go, we just thought they were super expensive.
Blech...I'm with you. It's just not worth it to me - I don't really care. Plus now that we live out of state, it totally does NOT justify a plane ticket. :-)
Mine is this year and I will DEFINITELY be there. =) But then again, I'm the girl that gets excited to leave for work at 5:00pm =)
My 10 year reunion isn't until next year and I am not sure whether or not I'll go. The school I graduated from was a private Christian school which I'd only attended for two years (and frankly, reminded me more of a jr. high). The first high school I attended with people I'd grown up with.
Other than making fun of people (which wouldn't be nice), I'm not anxious to see people who were rude or unkind to me. Nor am I anxious to hear all about the awesome party lifestyle they now lead. And, I am sort of introverted and insecure, so I really don't want to have to deal with coming up with clever answers to the sarcastic comments I get about the size and spacing of my family (especially since I can get it for free over Facebook).
Sorry, that was a really long-winded way of saying No, I don't think I'll be going. ;)
Nope, we didn't go to our 10 year last year. Chuck and I graduated together, but have no desire to see the people we went to Righetti with. The few friends we still have from high school, we keep in touch with already in one form or another. Also, there's the cost, the drinking, and the fact that we can think of better ways to spend a night without the kids than a high school reunion. Living in the town we grew up in, we actually see a lot of people from high school when we're out and about, so it's like an ongoing reunion. We keep our year books out where we can look up people when we see them. Half the time, we can't remember their names.
So you were Atascadero '99? If so, my cousin graduated with you.
Nope, we didn't go to our 10 year last year. Chuck and I graduated together, but have no desire to see the people we went to Righetti with. The few friends we still have from high school, we keep in touch with already in one form or another. Also, there's the cost, the drinking, and the fact that we can think of better ways to spend a night without the kids than a high school reunion. Living in the town we grew up in, we actually see a lot of people from high school when we're out and about, so it's like an ongoing reunion. We keep our year books out where we can look up people when we see them. Half the time, we can't remember their names.
So you were Atascadero '99? If so, my cousin graduated with you.
This year is my 10th, too, and I'm not going to either one. Yes, that's right. My family moved after my sophomore year and I've been invited to both school reunions via Facebook.
I'd be a lot more interested in going to my first high school's reunion (2 1/2 hours away) than my graduating school's (5 hours away) party. I didn't really connect with anyone there except the guy I dated and that has been over for years. We're both married now, but it would be awkward to see him. No thank you.
Like others, I stay in touch with a small handful from my high schools (maybe 3) and I'm fine with that. I don't feel the need to hang out in a bar with people I barely knew 10 years ago. If you don't want to go, don't feel forced to! :)
Well, our my high school class is really lame and there wasn't a 10 year reunion at all. I think somebody tried planning a 12 year or something in its place but it was cancelled. Had there been one, I totally would have gone. There were people I had lost touch with that I wanted to see again. FB has helped with that to some extent. We went to Cade's 10 year and it was fun for him, but way boring for me. His 20th is this year, so I don't know if we'll be going or not. I guess my feelings about HS reunions aren't as strong as some people have voiced here. I'd like to see first-hand how people have changed and that means for the better! Let me just say that some people do change for the better--my husband being one of them. People were very surprised to find him married, a teacher and with plans for a family and saved by Jesus. So anyway--another dimension to consider.
i should also clarify and say that i'd love to see if any of the cheerleaders got fat, etc. and all that. i should be above that, but...besides, i've gained weight since hs too so it wouldn't be like ha ha i look so good and you don't.
All you "youngsters" crack me up.(My YOUNGES child graduated from SLOHS in1996) My FIFTIETH, YES 5-0 is coming up (in 2011)and our high school had reunions every 5 years for 35 years!!! Now that most everyone is either retired or dead, the reunions are smaller....heh heh My high school was totally snobbish and I couldn't WAIT to see how people had changed and brag on my gorgeous husband (that NO ONE thought I could get!) and 3 beautiful children and 2 marvelous grandchildren It sure was an equalizer though because everyone laughed and had such a great time no matter what our "status" was in high school!!!
Oh, I forgot to mention my husband's reunions---he went to 6, count them, yes 6 different high schools, but he did spend his entire senior year at one so that one "found" him once for his 25th and he had a great time! He didn't want to go, but actually was happy I had encouraged him. It was weird for me since I didn't know anyone, but Peter introduced me and I was able to have some fun too!!
Loving all your comments!!!
I didn't have a BAD experience in high school, I didn't get picked on and people were nice to me...I just was (and still am) somewhat disillusioned by the whole fake-y high school culture.
Monica your comment made me laugh. I'm going to have to check out your facebook page more closely!!!! :)
Priscilla I love reading your comments...you should start a blog!!!
Oh and Katy what was your cousin's name??? I was indeed AHS '99.
I went to a dinky little Christian high school--11 students in my class--and they had a BBQ at someone's house for our big 10th reunion, which I got invited to BY PHONE two weeks prior. Apparently it was not well attended, as I never heard anything about a 20th last year... Tim went to his 20th at a lake! He had some fun, but turned around and came right back home after it was over--an 8 hour drive! The most fun about that weekend was that we found our we were pregnant when he got home! Huh, who knew you could still get pregnant after your 20th high school reunion?? :)
If for some strange reason they had another reunion, I can't imagine a good reason to go...unless it was to contribute to some greater cause than ourselves; which would be nice seeing as we're a Christian institution and a better use of my time and money... Otherwise, I don't think I'd be missing be much.
yep. wouldn't buy a plane ticket for it, but since it was 25 min away, i went. i left when people's speech started to slur, but before that it was fun to catch up with old friends. some people haven't changed though. and i wasn't in to the whole "hey, let's be best friends for one night even though i never talked to you in high school" thing. please.
I don't need to see anyone from my highschool...I keep in touch with some church friends from that time. Plus I am facebook (aka: real life bff's) with some folks from high school so I figured that was enough. I skipped my reuinion (2 hours away) in lieu of visiting my folks.
I actually have to plan our 10 year this year, which is a bit daunting (and yes, I'm already behind...)
would I go if not planning it? yes, but I am only 2 hours away. not sure if I'd fly back for that. I grew up in a small town though, and there is a part of me that just loves to keep in touch, even if once a decade. There is another part of me that could skip it without a second thought!
:)
went to my 10th- I had a good time but it is a place for people to go around and "sell" themselves- i actually asked someone how they were and ended up telling him "I'm not hiring so you can stop telling me your resume!".....but it was fun once everyone settled down and became themselves. I wasn't there to make fun of people or hoping to see anyone "worse off" to make myself feel better about my situation- I was in a really happy place 10 years after graduating so I only really wanted to see happiness in the people I graduated with. I didn't have a problem with anyone I went to high school with though so I wasn't carrying any bad feelings about anyone. We just went to my husbands 20th (flew from Fl to NY) and had a great time- no cliques- no catty behavior....just lots of great conversations- pictures of everyone's family.....and so much fun. You should plan something for your girlfriends you still keep in touch with- do it to celebrate your 15th so you have time to plan and save......
No I did not go. I thought about it, but we had just moved to Las Vegas and I was busy painting like a mad-woman before the heat came. Gas prices were also up above 4 dollars and when I found out the tickets were 75 dollars PER PERSON at some stupid wine vinyard in Paso (I have a special anger towards the Central Coast being turned into the next hoity-toity Napa Valley) I said heck no.
And like you, I have kept in touch with anyone of significance in my life (thank you myspace!) and really I just wanted to go and laugh at all the popular people who really did enjoy the peak of their lives in highschool. And that wasn't worth a 300-500 cost of the trip.
Oh, but if there was a Creston-Reunion... I would SOOO be there... especially if there was barn dancing!!!
ha tamara YES! a creston reunion!
at least yours was at a vineyard...ours is at the pavilion!! ha! (was there any AHS event NOT held at the lake pavilion?!)
it would be entertaining to go for sure. but yeah, too much $$$.
well, my high school was way to small and didn't even do a reunion. We did go to Jay's though but wished we hadn't. We're both not into the whole deal and it was a lot of money wasted. So I totally hear ya!
This is a comment that I should have posted previously, but I am so glad you decided to share your "why" about homeschooling and I hope to hear more about it in the future! I go back and forth a lot on how I feel about it.
They are my worst nightmare and I avoid like the plague!!!!!
they held ours at TGI FRidays. Yup, I skipped it. :)
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