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A few weeks ago, my twin brother Harry and I attended our 10-year high school reunion, with our loving and patient spouses in tow.
I’ve been excited about our high school reunion ever since Leslie, our senior class vice-president, first started planning it last year. (Mackenzie, our senior class president, is in her third year of residency, so Leslie did the bulk of the planning).
It was a little weird going out just a few weeks after my mom died, but I really wanted a night to dress up, drink, and engage in small talk. I needed a night where I could talk to other people without crying. Hanging out with Emerald High School’s Class of 2005 was exactly what I needed.
Is your 10-year high school reunion in the next year? You should totally go. Here’s why.
Why should you go to your high school reunion?
1. To feel nostalgic
What’s nice about looking into the past is that time has softened the edges and blurred our memories. We can focus on the good times and forget the shitty parts.
Both before and after my high school reunion, I looked through my old yearbooks. I enjoyed remembering my four years of high school. It felt good to reminisce about the fun times I shared with my friends, even if time and distance have allowed us to lose touch.
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2. To find out who has totally changed
Did the wild partier get married and have three kids? Did the quiet kid become a stand-up comedian? How many super-religious Christians are now atheists? Did everyone gain weight?
3. To see who is exactly the same
Some people never change, and I mean that in the best way. Preacher Kevin is still one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, and he’s married to his middle school sweetheart, Janie. Most Likely to Succeed is a doctor. I’m still an outspoken feminist.
Related: 10 Reasons Why I’m a Feminist
4. To show everyone how much you’ve changed
I was a late bloomer. (Thanks, Crohn’s Disease). So yeah, a little part of me wanted my old classmates to see how I look not on prednisone, to meet my husband, and to find out I’m a writer who used to live in France. I had my good friends in high school, and people liked me, but I was far from popular.
I can’t be the only not cool kid who wanted to brag just a little… right? I’m just sorry Dan and I had to miss his 10-year high school reunion. I’m sure everyone would have been impressed to see that the AV guy on the chess team is a successful engineer with a hot nerdy wife.
5. To have a good excuse to hang out with your close friends all at once
I’m still best friends with my high school best friends Aimee, Kimi, and Madison. It’s just so hard finding the time time to see all of them at once! While I couldn’t convince Kimi and Madison to attend our reunion, I loved catching up with Aimee. A high school reunion is an event other than a wedding or a funeral that brings people in town for the weekend. Take advantage of that!
6. To reconnect with old friends
It’s impossible after high school to stay close to everyone. I regret losing touch with several high school friends, some of whom I was able to see at my high school reunion. I spent a lot of time talking to Cory, one of my closest guy friends from high school. I’ve also reconnected this past year with Jamie, a friend of mine from both middle and high school.
7. To introduce your significant other to your old friends
Besides spending time with Jamie, I finally had the chance to meet her husband. I loved introducing Dan to my old friends, the people who I’ve mentioned a thousand times to him.
8. To network
It’s not the most exciting reason, but it’s true. At this point in my life, any gathering of people out of college is a chance to network.
9. To drink and to dance like you’re young again
I didn’t drink in high school, but I did in college. At the ripe old age of 28, a night at a bar is a rare occasion for me. A typical weekend night looks like dinner with Dan, maybe with my family or friends, 1-2 drinks, and a movie or a board game.
Long gone are the nights when I drank and danced until dawn.
Let’s be honest. Long gone are the nights I went to bed after midnight.
But your high school reunion? Everyone’s a little nervous, which means most will imbibe at least a single drink. Why not enjoy the excuse to kick back and party like you don’t work full-time or worry about a mortgage or have kids with a baby-sitter?
10. To be surprised
No matter what you think will happen at your high school reunion, you’ll find yourself surprised at least once. I had unexpected conversations with old friends and unexpected praise from former classmates. You really can’t predict what will happen at your 10-year reunion.
I’m so glad I attended my 10-year high school reunion. I can’t wait for our 20th!
High school grads, did you or will you attend your high school reunion? Why or why not? Inquiring minds need to know, in the comments below!
If you’re planning a high school reunion, don’t forget the photo booth! Amazon sells some awesome prop kits for less than $10.
