My 25th Class Reunion

I didn't know quite what to expect from my first Class Reunion. I stopped getting invited to them when I moved and wondered why I received the invitations in the first place. I didn't graduate. I actually got my GED, got married, went to the community college all before my Senior year.

Most people I've spoken with have dissed their reunions, never really hearing anything positive I don't know why I decided to go. Besides, I never really thought I'd be remembered. My perceptions of Jr. High and High School were that of having been a hermit, a loner and shy, thinking I blended in with the furniture. I've grown since then and thought it would be fun, I'm a kind of "off the wall" personality now, you never know what your going to get.

So I crashed the mixer, gathering at one of the local clubs. I was greeted by many vaguely familiar faces that actually did remember me! I was told "you were so cool", "you were funny", "you were fun" and then one comment that completely dumbfounded me "you always looked like you were going to beat the crap out of me". My perceptions of my self in school were apparently wrong.

We did not have name tags so part of the fun was walking up to everyone saying "Do I know you"? Out of a class of 600, though only a fraction of that attended, 9 out of 10 times I did know that person. One even recalled sitting next to me in one of our classes, how I wished I could remember school that well. Maybe it was my attitude that suppressed it or it could have been that I had terribly low self esteem during that phase of my life.

I had only had five beers but on an empty stomach, it didn't take long before I was feeling it pretty well. I was just having way too much fun to sit down and eat. My daughter called and checked on me a few times (Mom doesn't get out much). Finally I ended up calling her for a ride home. When I left, I was followed out to the car and one of my classmates just jumped right in and said "you're taking me home too". She was happy to oblige and probably very amused.

I really don't understand why there is so much dread associated with class reunions after having attended one. My intentions were not to brag about what a cool job I have nor did I care who did what and how much money they made. It was about seeing old friends that I had completely forgotten about and having a good time. As it was!

If you are contemplating your class reunion, don't. Just do it!

Peace
Liz